May 11.
Tae Puemien's Restcxatios.
As Premier Chin Yun-peng has again decided te resign, the reply to the Japanese Note regarding the Shantung question will have to be deferred till it can be discussed by the cabinet.
There are several reasons which, according to popular belief, have impelled Premier Chin to take this step. First, the Anfu Club has purposely caused him financial embarrassment, by withholding all payments and by keeping all receipts in the treasury of the Ministry of Communications. The troops in the Metropolitan district have not been paid anything for two months, and all sorts of wild rumours have been set afloat. Secondly, the Premier is being baulked in carrying out his decisions both in regard to the Shantung problem and the Military Pact, while Mr, Chen Lu, who is in charge of the Waichiaopu, has absented himself from duty on the plea of illness.
The third reason is the attitude of Marshal Tuan Chi-jui who refuses to give way in any of the peace terms which he originally suggested. Lastly, commanders of expeditionary forces have one after, another requested leave to withdraw their troops from—their respective front lines back to their old gawtisons, Although the Premier attended to the Cabinet duties as usual on the 8th instant, he appears to be quite determined' upon resigning the premiership this time, as he has only promised to carry on the Government a few days longer during which time President Hsu Shih-chang must find a successor.
A Country Wim Turco Masters.
One pf our classies records this plaint!—As the country is ruled by three masters, tell me to whom shall I yield my obedience." So comments the "Shunpao" onthe present Cabinet crisis. Now, among the rulers in the North alone, already we seem to have three' masters. No wonder that even the discussion of th: single question of giving a reply to a Japanese Note has consumed so many days without any result. Though we call it the "responsible cabinet," yet the Premier has shown himself to be no better than a Facing Both Ways, constantly anxious to ascertain what may be the President's opinion, what m: he the Director-General's (Marshal Tuan Chi-jui of the Bureau of Frontier Defence Forces) opinion, what may be the idea of a certain party, and what may be the views of the tuchuns, none of whose orders he can' apparently afford to disregard. Poor man! he has no time to consult even his own opin. ion, much less the wishes of the citizens. No wonder, no alternative but resignation is open to a man o effectively bound hand and oot
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.