CHINA'S UPHEAVAL.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1810, 25 July 1913, Page 5

CHINA'S UPHEAVAL.

MARTIAL LAW PROCLAIMED AT PEKING. PRESIDENT'S MANIFESTO. ANTI-FOREIGN FEELING. By Tclenmph—Press Association— Copyright (Sydney "Sun" Special.) London, JuJy 23. The opinion held in diplomatic circles is that tho Powers will bo compelled to intervene in China. (Rec. July 2-1, 10.15 p.m.) Peking, July 24. Martial law has been proclaimed at Peking. This synchronises with tho formal establishment of a Confederate Government at Nanking. The editors of the Kuo Ming Tang party's newspapers have been arrested, and their papers have ceased publication. Colonel Brucht has rejected Tong, the Southerners' nominee for the position of head of the Chinese Telegraph Department at Shanghai. Colonel Brucht alleges that ho has acted under the instructions of the consular body. The Kuo Ming Tang party regard this as an affront by the foreigners. Dr. Sun Yat Sen, in a manifesto, recounts tho grievances of the southern districts, and expresses his determination to oppose Yuan Sliili ICai as firmly as he did the Manchus. Yuan S'hili Kai has issued a manifesto stripping Generals Hwang Hsing and Chen Sliih-Mei of their rank. He offers a free jiardon and reward to any of their followers who will arrest or kill them, and concludes by expressing his determination to uphold the Republic. Yuan Shili Kai's declaration has elicited the approval of all foreign Legations except Russia and Japan. The Chinese press bitterly blames the system of foreign settlements and concessions, which have enabled the rebels to perfect their plans. A force of 3000 rebels has attacked the Kiangnan arsenal at S'hanghai, which was defended by 2000 troops. After a fight, aided by the cruisers, the rebels were repulsed with a loss of 800. The Southerners are now awaiting tho arrival of 15,000 Cautouese at Lin Hwai Kwan. Tho Government threatens to sink every vessel, foreign or Chinese, which is caught conveying Cantonese.

The Kuo-ming-tang party is an amalgamation of five others, of which the most important were tho original Revolutionary party and tho Republican Unionists, a party created by Dr. Sun Yat Sen, or, at all events, headed by him. In its new form the party embraces all the men who are spoken of as "Young China," and represents what is rather vaguely called "the South," in opposition to "the North." Tho "North," of course, means Yuan. Shih-Kai and the various sections of his supporters, who have also recently amalgamated under the titlo of the Tsin-Pu-tang, or Progressives. Their main plank is a strong Central _ Government. They consist of three distinct bodies of men united by this common desire. There are, first, tho mon who wore officials under tho old system, awl who, if aJiti-Manchu, woro at heart Conservatives; (secondly, the men who in the old days believed in constitutional reform; aiid thirdly, thoso who do not believe in any form' of government the yea and nay of which does not proceed from Peking.\ One of the most essential tenets ia the Kuo-Ming-Tang beliefs is a faith in local government and iii tho capacity for citizenship which local govenment creates. Another is the supremacy of Parliament, which is to posses powea - to appoint both Cabinet and Premier. In other wordsi while Yuan's supporters wish to put as much power as possible in his hands, the Kuo-Ming-Tang wants to give him as littlo as possible.