In Hankow, where Wu Pei-fu is anything but popular, a star-gazer of more than usual reputation has said that China's redemption will come through the ruthless campaigning of a heavy handed dictator, and that the man will be Wu Pei-fu. Wuchang will be his capital. Though this cannot be welcome news in Central China, it is repeated in all quarters with every evidence of conviction and faith.
Whatever the individual character of the forebodings that are being peddled, it is to be noted that they are all of a reactionary character and are making a strong appeal for this reason if for no other, because a great wave of conservatism is sweeping the country and there is an intense desire in every Chinese heart at this moment to go back somewhere along the line and start over again. Get together a circle of Chinese scholars, soldiers and officials, all strangers to each other, and lecture them on democracy, republicanism, constitutionalism and the like and they will nod their heads in polite agreement and pay conventional lip service to these great ideas. But come out boldly and say "the Republic is a failure in China; there is no more time for experiments with new ideas; we must restore order; still is the Imperial system the best guarantee of peace and respect for authority'? and your speech will be greeted with vociferous approval from the majority while the minority will shout for the wine pot and the next course as
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.