Szechuan's Capital Uncomfortably Honoured by the Wreckage of Yang Sen's Opponents: Szechuan and the Strangers":
Then and Now From Our Own Chéngto, June 3.
If too many cooks spoil the broth, certainly too many Generals in one city has its disadvantages, Last winter opened with at Toast five prominent military Jeaders in residence in Chengtu. Yuan Teu-ming the Kueichow General was fortunate to get away early, but hig good fortune has not followed him, Once separated from his allies be soon found himself _between two fires. In Eastern Szechuan he ran amuck of the man whom he had been the chief factor in ejecting from the province, but who had returned with greater prestige as the special pet of Wu Pei-fu.
"Yang Sen's somewhat brilliant return to Szechuan, as the protege of the Dictator of Central Chi hay once more thrown into the melting pot, the different line-ups Ten took up the reins of government vigorously. Agitational processions were prohibited. Soldiers who had been molesting the _citizens were given short shrift, Students were given to understand that their own expulsion would be the result of any further trouble.
The vast majority of the tens of, millions of Szechuazese, have shown repeatedly that their natural bent of mind is toward peace, and goodwill, even to the "strangers" who have mingled with them for four or five decades. The foreigners who were pioneers had much to live down. Many pestilent misrepresentations had to be patiently met. It must have been shocking for refined men and women to be gazed upon as babyeaters, women covering up their shame with long skirts, and men exposing it with cut off garments, or alliances necessary for his ex-were cos were considered shamelessly impassion.
Yuan Tsusming for his Bven mere betiovs was the ferv'ces was allotted Chungking. read belief that these alien 'The occupation of Chungking had residents were spying out a 19th two advertages for, the century Canaan: and that' their First, it was wealthy country might become "divided-and could support a large wed second, a way of retreat ws The propagation of a "Father-should that be necessary. hood" and a "Brotherhood" whose was one disadvantage: the oceup Lassie principles were spiritual was: tion of so strategic a point was too foreign to Chinese men-sure to arouse the hatred and jean tality for ready acceptance. Jousy of the Szechuan General Tdeas of liberty, equality, and a That Yang Sen should make more abundant life, by. spiritual Chungking his first objective was. processes were beyond both their good strategy, as it would not do ken and their experience. The to have a strong enemy in the establishment of dispensaries and very centre of things, and an-attack hospitals where the value of physical upon the Kueichow army would at-health, the latest researches in tract a large number of leaders who preventible diseases, and the de-were indignant that outsiders should grading influences" of poisonous be in possession of Szechvan's opiates were forcibly emphasized, treaty port. was too deep a mystery, if only 'Once more, the folly of permit-humanitarian or spiritual ends were' ting or inviting an army from an in view. adjacent province to come into Sz On the other hand the "strangchuan is being illustrated. The ers" regarded China as decrepit, Kueichow troops who were welcomed bound head, hands and feet by their when party strife was rife, are vow hounded on all sides, and all own illustrious sages, heroes, parties are having a shot at them, patriots, who in their day were much as everybody throws stones men of no mean brilliancy, bat at a running dog. Unfortunately by some wizardry, rome mental in all these movements it is the phenomena, wrapped—rucceedin common people, that live in the generations with their own grave cities, towns and the country through clothes, a Rip Van Winkle among which these destructive hosts march the nations. that are the real sufferers, "The arrival of the "strangers"
second General, Liu' Hsiang, Szechuan brought about a clash of is somewhat of an anoinely. He is colour, of old and new civibzatic oather a voice. of living and dead religion, These A third General, Lin Wen-hwei, tcangers" enthused with a faith where headquarters was Suita, and that was promised to remove moun. who of the lesser lights was most tains act to work to remove the hostile to Yang Sen, has also found itual, mental, and physical in the capital a safe retreat where he could keep in touch with Sze chuan polities The fourth General, Ten Hix hou was the real appointee tothe Chengtu district and in the sphinx of the Generals. Just where he stands in relation to the military alignments new in process of formation, it is difficult, to. say. Ho maintained a neutral ion in regard to the ery to drive the Kueichow General and his army from the province. It may be that Ten felt he was under obligation to Yuan, and is too honest to stab 'a friend in the back. If two oF more strong Generals decided to abolish the flop system, Szechuan aight have Hopes of tranquility.
The fifth General who has been one of the outstanding figures Szechuan politics, Lai Hsin-hwei, as Civil Governor moved his _headquarters from Chungking to Chéngtu. He has the reputation of being one of the "foppers" and that may account for the coup @état that} recently deprived him of is army and authority, and made him a virtual prisoner under Ten Hsi-hou end Liu Hsin-hwei. A more plause ible reason might be, that being an addict of opium, he permitted conditions in Chengtu to get out of band, and when the Japanese Consulate tacked, and the Consul and his wife suffered indignities, during.a students' procession, the lost-face" that resulted was' good eagon.ta remove another cook from the broth.
Almost immediately the political atmosphere cleared up. General Bandages, by the simple methods of persuasion, instruction, ard healing.
The results have been marvellous.
Fortunately in these clashes the spirit of offensive proselytism has been markedly absent. A new life was instilled that has worked £0 peacefully, yet £0 insistently, that. the people themselves seem hardly aware of what tremendous changes have taken place in their midst. True these changes are now more marked in large centres like Chéngtu where a new city has grown al most over night. It is, however, in less degree, true of the whole pro. vince, that a new conception of things pertaining to s0 tional, religious,—an spheres is gradually awakening.
What were the fruits of Oriental Philosophy, deplored as being superseded? Forty years ago who ever advocated the emancipation of wornes, or raised a voice inst the cruel system of foot-binding? Who ever felt pangs of for those unfortunate prison ers who were tortured in public, [suffering agonies that cannot be deseribed? What comfort er cheer in the home surroundings, what intellectual freedom, what religious joys, did Oriental philosophy bring to the masses of Szechuan, or China, oF leven Japan, three generations ago?
If the Oriental mentality re-Jquires a different philosophy. from the West, it may be. that Christ ity, as introduced from the West, will need to be "born agai" or some psychological way become!
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.