Kueiyang, Jan. 28.
The die is cast. Independence was declared here yesterday and proclamations under name of "Kueichow Tutuh" issued dealing with President Yuan's "crimes" and declaring independence, guaranteeing Bank of China notes, pro} opium cultivation and formation of lawless societies, ordering payment of taxes as usual and announcing full protection to foreigners and foreign interests. There is obviously but little genuine enthusiasm amongst the people; even some of those in authority express apprehension as to the outcome of the step. Yesterday some hundreds of Yunnan troops—infantry, cavalry and -artillery—arrived here and I hear that General Han Feng-luh has already left Yunnanfa with more troops designated to this province.
Tai our former Civil Governor, arrived last Monday night from Yunnan. On Wednesday he was given a public welcome at the Provineial Assembly Hall and made a speech in which he praised Germany's military prowess, said she would capture the Suez Canal and that as a result India would rise and declare independence. He said that President Yuan has arranged to sell China to Japan and that he has sent money to England (he gave no details), that he tried to _persuade the' British Minister, Tsuh Ertien (Sir John Jordan), to recognize the monarchy on behalf of England, that Sir John refused, whereupon the President reviled (or rebuked—"Ma" was the word used by Tai) him and he at once gave in!
Two of the five or six "Tuan chang" (each commanding from 1,000 to 1,500 men) in this province are said to be against independence—one, I know is,—and it is also said that our Military (and Civil) Governor, Liu Hi 's elder cousin, the Western Taoyin of this province, is also against it Jan, 29.
A proclamation is just posted up (under date of yesterday) bearing the Tutuh's surname, it is Liu Liu Hsien-shi, the Military and Civil Governor appointed by Peking). This proclamation notifies that all branches of the provincial government are now under the Tutuh's control, and the telegraph office.
As to the Bank of China Kueiyang branch office, the Manager is said to be strongly revolutionary and remains in charge, but some members of the staff are leaving as they were appointed by Peking and are not local men, as is the manager. It is reported that the Bank here holds some 3,000,000 of dollars in notes and two millions in silver. I can't verify the figures but I much doubt there being so large a sum in silver. The Post Office stands neutral 60 as to keep open communications as far possible. The present Commissioner, Chinese, has only recently taken over his duties, so has to face a difficult situation, but he seems to have managed very well in spite of his being so new to the province and local conditions.
Almost all houses in the city are posted with a paper bearing four characters which mean '"'Strengthening the Republic," in some cases, "Crowding to protect the Republic." Thi to indicate that everybody joins in the determination to resist monarchical rule. It only right to say (1) that the papers are posted up without the sanction of the occupants (who, whatever his thoughts, would not dare to object) and.(2) that very many don't know what the paper means! 7 On the day that independence was declared the Police ordered all houses to display flags. Perhaps rather more than half were beflagged. Yesterday and to-day only the public offices are 80 decorated. People go about their business as usual—being near the end of the lunar year there is rather more traffic in the streets—and the only sign of popular interest shown is the crowding to read the Tutuh's proclamations as they are posted up.
The city is quiet, but letters from some districts tell of the people flying from their homes.
'A long document bearing the names of a large number of people more or less known (some hundreds of names appear, I am told) in-yiting the Military and Civil Governor to become Tutuh is his justification for 80 doing. usually the case in Kueichow many, probably most, of the names were appended without the sanction of the person named being secured. Few, if any, would venture to object in any case.—From Our Own Correspondent, Original fror
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.