THE STRONG HAND IN CHINA.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1901, 8 November 1913, Page 5

THE STRONG HAND IN CHINA.

YUAN Sinn KAI'S EXPULSION OF THE OPPOSITION. APPROVAL IN PEKING; By Telesraph-Prtss Association—Copyfieht Peking, November 6. Justifying tho dissolution of tho Opposition (Kuo Ming Tang) Party and the proscribing of Dr. Sun Yat Son, Huan-Hsing, and others, President Yuan Shih-Kai's edict declares that intercepted correspondence proves the existence of a conspiracy to overthrow tho Government and precipitate bankruptcy by tho Parliament blocking tho Five Powers' Joan, thus separating North and South. London, November 6. ii i j 6 ' l ' Peking correspondent states that, despite Yuan'a satntnary expulsion of tho Kito Ming Tang Party, Peking is quiet. Residents generally approve tho action, and almost jjll the Legations approve, believing it impossible for Yuan to control affairs whilo Parliament is a hot-bed of rebellion.

iv am sfota Ihat the; first rebellion to be encountered by the Republic of China has been crushed completely, and the foolish, instigators of it are either dead, in prison, or gone—to Japan!" Such were the words of President Yuan Shilcai as communicated to tlio press. Dr. Sun Yat-sen, after a brief respite from strenuous activities as a revolutionary leader, is again an exile in Japan, . The South is opposed to the loan contract which the Yuan Administration concluded with the five-Power syndicate without tho consent of the National Assembly. 1-nan's methods of dealing with the opposition, tho Ivuo-Mia-tang (or Nationalist Party), have displeased the Southern leaders. The recent assassination of Sung Cniao-jen, one of tho leaders of the Kuo-Min-tang, of which President Yuan is suspected to have been the. instigator, kindled tho .revolutionary rising's which had long been Smouldering. The leaders of the revolutionary movement, excepting General Li Yueii-hueiig, who still remains loyal to Yuan, aro all men who were responsible for tho overthrow of tlio Mancliu dynasty, Hnang-hsitig, who engineered tho revolution at Wuchang two years ago, is again in the forefront of the new movement. Judging from his utterances (says the "Literary Digest"}, Dr, Sun seems to be as firmly determined to overthrow the Yuan Administration ns he was resolved to destroy the Manohu dynasty. Upon his arrival in Japan on August 8 last, he- issued, the following statement to tho Press"Tho present uprising seems to have ended in a failure, but the people .throughout Cliifia have .been awakened to tho danger of permitting Yuan to remain in " tho saddle. Should the iron tend of Yuan relax for a moment, the wholo country will rise against him._ The present rebel-lion is only the beginning of a great ifiovement which will never end until Yuan is ousted. I am thoroughly confident that the cause of revolution will eventually triumph. "

On September K, 1913, Yuan Shih-koi celebrated his fifty-fifth birthday, though he does not look so old. He is a short, heavy man, active, but inclined to lie corpulent, liko most old Chinese.. His eyes aro small find keen, and, With advancing age, bnlge from his head tft a way that would bo ludicrous in a man of less dignity. Sis completion was onco clear and swarthy, but is now somewhat sallow and discoloured. His enemies say this is becauso of his dissolute life. His moustache, onco black, is now STav and straggling, and droops over his' firm mouth in the approved Chinese fashion. Sinco he has cut his queuo and adopted foreign olothing- .it is noticeable that ho alwaj-3 stands with his' feet wide apart, like tho horseman he is, or like Napoleon. In a room full of Chinese, Yuan wonkl not attract attention. He has not the commanding stature which, gave prominence to his old .nattsn, T,i Hurtgchang. Ho lias not the peculiar facial formation with breadth of cheeis. which characterises Sun Yat Sen, nor the strong jaw and military bearing of Lo Yusnlinng. If he lacks in distinguished physical appearance. Yuan makes up for it by the pomp with which he surrounds himself. For many years, when he occupied official position nnder the Manchus, lie never went abroad withont the company Of four gnards of unusnal height, who were dressed in gorgeous costume. His chairbearers were always nj«n of striking appearanco, and there Was nothing in tho catalogue of Chinese livery which was overlooked' to add distinction to his coming and going. As his rank increased ho increased the eclat with which ho surrounded himself. Now. as the President of tho Flowery Republic, Streets are cleared before ho ventures out, and ho goes accompanied by many galloping horsemen.