CHINESE AFFAIRS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1576, 21 October 1912, Page 7

CHINESE AFFAIRS.

KIOTERS ATTACK POLITICIANS,

Bt Teleeraufc-Press Aesoclation-CoßrriEht (Rec. October 20, 5.5 p.m.) Tientsin, October 20. Rioters have fired on members of tho Sheni Provincial Assembly, wounding several. THE BOXEK INDEMNITY. (Rec. October 20, 5.5 p.m.), Peking, October 19. The payment of the Boxor indemnity, which was suspended during the R&volution, ha 3 been, resumed, and .£247,000 has been paid, covering tho liability up to October 80, 1911. INDEPENDENCE OF MONGOLIA. (Rec. October 20, 5.5 p.m.) St. Petersburg, October 19, A epcoial envoy has had an audience with tho Kuliichta, the -Lamaito ruler of •Mongolia, at Urgn, and communicated tho Tsar's recognition of the independence of Northern Mongolia.

TRIALS OF A NEW REPUBLIC. • TROUBLOUS~STATE OF CHINA. Tito Republican Government of China is passing through a severe trinl. From all purls of the country (writes tho Shanghai correspondent of tho "Daily Nows" in a repent dispatch) come reports that tho existing stato of affairs approaches anarchy. Many of tho newly-ap-pointed provincial oflicials scorn unablo to depart from traditional methods of "squeeze-," and grave complaints are being made as to the manner lji which money is demanded from tho wealthy in tho namo of tho Government. A typical easo is Hint of a merchant from whom n "loan" of about .£OOOO was requested. Flo domurred, ami the Prefect's bodyguard was called out as a preliminary 'to execution. The merchant. Kiiid: "Yon cim kill me. I am 'rot afraid. But I won't po to tho President's Ynmi-n, for I have committed no crime." Thereupon thn Prefect relaxed, and said ho had only been joking. The point is that Wio merchant was compelled eventually lo pay J2OOO, and he left the distriot'hastily to avoid further demands Wholesale- executions are taking place in the province of Kuanghing. Many.have been shot because weapons were found in their houses, and it was supposed tho owners were implicated in plans for the overthrow of tho Republic. In most of those and similar caws trials are'.nlwaye brief, and ti'.o execution of justice, or injustice, swift. In score" of cases the issuing of false notes has teen punishr-d by death, and fow of tho numerous robbers arrested have been allowed to escape- with their lives. Tn faco of this severity it is strange to nolo that a man who murdered his wifo in a lit of jealous passion was released on payment of a fine- amounting to .C 2. Newspapers in tho south, whero troubles S6-SUI most acute, aro devoting their leaders to the pre=ent situation, asking whether it is an improvement upon (he past. They say that robberies are- as frequent, kidnappings more numerous, and executions not fewer, without nny appreciable lessening of the number of piracies m<l robberie*