Feb. 22.
No apology, we feel sure, is needed for calling special attention to the article we publish to-day by one who has just returned from Yunnan with many years of residence in that province at his back. Of battles and the movement of troops we hear much; of the real state of public feeling, little or nothing. Herein the writer draws a sharp distinct tion, such as might naturally be expected. The people of Yunnan have no more to do with this revolution than they had with any previous one. The opinion of Yunnan is the opinion of military circles, enthusiastically aided by newspapers which, for good or evil, are certainly becoming a rear power in China. In these respects the revolution of 1915-16 presents no great difference from those of 1911 and 1913. Yet our correspondent concurs with many other authorities in thinking the present movement far more serious than either of its predecessors. In 1911 the country (and here the word may be quite fairly used), wished the Manchus to go. In 1913 there was no such tremendous impetus to put mercantile enthusiasms on the revolutionaries' side and President Yuan was thus able to deal with the latter fairly easily, especially as they were in getatable regions like the Yangtze Valley. To-day, geographical advantages are all in favour of the Yunnanese, ut least one of whose generals, moreover, is something in the nature of a real general. The rebels consider that it is only a question of time before they are joined by Szechuan, Kuangsi and Kuangtung, and our correspondent is inclined to agree with them.
The real crux of the Yunnan
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.