The Abolition of Tuchunates—Why Rice is Dear—The Advisory Committee—Chihli and Anhui Fall Out As usual, the Chinese newspapers have been devoting most of their attention to political events, especially for the past week or so, during "which period significant incidents have followed one upon another with startling rapidity, or such at least are reported to have taken place. Stories of a contra-dietary nature have appeared in their columns regarding matters in North and South. In contrast to many a glowing tale of fierce battles alleged to have been fought in the southern part of Hunan and of minor engagements in °Shensi and Szechuan, news of a possible resumption of work by the Peace Conference here has also been published, which seems hardly credible in view of the split that has undoubtedly taken place within the respective camps of both the Peking and the Canton governments.
As an echo to General Lu Yung-hsiang's telegram of March 5, in which he boldly recommended the abolition of the tuchun system, the announcement made by General Tang Chi-yao of his decision to abolish the post of Tuchun in Yunnan, to leave the control of administrative affairs in the hands of the civil authorities and to devote himself solely and- entirely to his duties as Commander-in-Chief of the Joint Expeditionary Force (of Yunnan, Kueichow, Szechuan and Shensi), on and after June 1, has been hail: ed with evident satisfaction by most of the Chinese Press, In a circular telegram, General Tang promised "to lay down my arms and retire to my farm as soon as I shall have completed the task of disbanding my followers."
This pledge has not been accepted by certain writers without some scepticism, and the question has been asked whether General Tang was swayed by motives genuinely patriotic and absolutely unselfish in reaching this decision and give this "altogether-too-vaguely-terme pledge."
Among other matters dealt with, the high cost of living, the abnorm: al scarcity of rice and the election of a Chinese Advisory Committee to the Municipal Council have furnished the vernacular papers good subjects for much of their caustic comments in their recent issues.
Tana CxI-yao AND THE TucHUNATE.
Commenting on the above subject, the ""Sinwanpao" thinks it very regrettable that the elaborate details thought out for the execution of General Lu Yung-hsiang's scheme to abolish the tuchunate have defeated their own ends, and that the scheme has so far come to no fruition. It applauds the grim determination and lightning rapidity with which General Tang Chi-yao has acted in abolishing his own tuchunship in Yunnan: "so direct, so forceful and so soldierlike has been his method that it is a remarkable improvement upon General Lu's plan on paper." Several dubious points are summed up in Tang's message as follow Dissaxp Your Troops.
It is not by his title alone that a tuchun could do harm to country and people. In order to reap any real benefit from his abolition, it is necessary for him to abandon is military power forthwith and disband his troops as rapidly as he can, When will General Tang begin to disband his followers? Will he begin at once or will he have to wait until a certain object or objects has in view shall have been accomplished?
What duties does he, as Commander-in-Chief of the Joint Expeditionary Force, consider himself ound to perform? Simply to keep his troops well in hand, or must he lead them on and on to seek further fields to conquer?
"Without clearing up these points, the people will be apt to suspect that his present action in renouncing the tuchunship _and assuming the task of the Commander-in-Chief is dictated by some unworthy motive and that the latter post is nothing less than the Inspector -Generalship held Chang Tso-lin and the High Commissioner ship held by Tsao Kun," concludes the "Sinranpao."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.