Nothing more wretched, hope-Jess and contemptible could be imagined than the manceuvre \which drives out Marshal Chi Heieh-yuan from Nanking. It roves beyond argument that in the political world of China, there is no consideration of country, no patriotism, not even the lowest common sense which jean avail, nothing but blind revenge and the most sordid self-seeking. Conceive the circumstances in which the conspiracy against Chi has come far from commendable.
In eurite a head.
On December 10, fugue' of the ith instant we\the Protocol Powers addressed quoted Sir Malcolm Bailey, the to th Waichiaopu new Governor of Bengal, who ing the proviso "states that "men known to be/ernment of Marshal Tuan and hale and hearty are reported to government acknowledged have died of inhuman tortures in by China which might grow out prison" and that political prison-it, and further promising ers are reported to be placed in (material support on the sole cells filled with poisonous snakes: condition that treaties were and are fed with poisoned food. recognized. The Note was a Tales of this kind are too! demn call to all representa-absurd to do more than provoke atives of law and order to stand smile from the average Briton together for China's welfare but it is to be noted that those against whatever disruptive who spread these palpable lies! forces might assail. And it was Know their, audience. To the{also a very plain earnest of ignorant, masses. in In..-whose friendship. "We have heard of memories'are stored with legends! some written answer, of colour-ess nature. But this is the! true reply, the mandate that} expels Marshal Chi. We are not seeking to "boom" Marshal Chi, as this or that Chinese!
Teader has been boomed _at [different times, always with disappointment as the result But it is admitted, we believe, even by his enemies that he is 'a good administrator, sincere, earnest, precisely such a man, in fact, as. ought-to be left undisturbed to govern his province and encouraged to cooperate with others for the governing of all China. There seems ne doubt that Marshal Tuan and Marshal Chang were againstphis being attacked. But Lu Yunghhsiang's desire for revenge and the Anfu party's desire for the rich spoils of Kiangsu were too much for them. And so it! threatens to be indefinitely. As we have often said, the most autocratic Tuchun is powerless in the toils of the schemers behind the throne. To-day it is! Marshal Chi, to-morrow pro-ably the man who is said to! have been mainly responsible for his overthrow, next week some one else. Always treachery' and perfidy and scheming.
More than ever is it impossible to forecast the outcome of events even from day to day. Yesterday we printed under due reserve the report that Marsha! Tuan had left P@king: this came us from such a source that we could not wholly disregard it, while realizing that it might be untrue. But if not true to-day, no one watching the course of events would dare to say that it is not likely to happen in a few days' time. It is clear that Tuan has no power; it is even report jed that the Anfu politicians] who issue mandates in his name without his orders. Assuredly he will not long consent to act as a figurehead. It may even become a question of -his life whether he goes or stays. And another report reaches us that! Dr. Sun Yat-sen has declared he is going to Peking to drive Tuan out, All talk, perhaps, but in these days what may not happen? The recognition accorded last week will not, one surmises, avail for vers! long.
Confusion is made darker by the absolutely unknown quant ity Genera! Feng Vu-hsiang, the one man who really possesses power in Peking. The worst] thing about controversy is that in the course of it both sides are insensibly pushed into positions move extreme than that at which they wish to stand. We disliked General Fong's turning pon Wu Pei fe and are. willing to admit that.we may have been carried further in mistrust of him than he deserves. "Jonathan Blunt" believes in Fong and his. enthusinem and a remarkable gift for invective have whirled into an attack on Mr. alert, which betrays a of Mz.
Gilbert's standing as a reporter of Chinese sayings ings in Peking—a duty' which we make bold to say he is exceptionally fitted to perform.
are not, however, concerned to defend Mr. Gilbert: he can do that much better himself and his reply to "Jonathan Blunt" should be worth reading. But to make clear our own position as regards General Feng, may we go back to what we first wrote, of the famous coxp, of October 27:
But while General Feng's action may have had one good result (i. the explosion of President Tsao), we may well be doubtful of 14) farther effects. And as an act Siself, how is it to be regarded? Is it jest another piece of treachery of which we have sen so muck in wretched war? Or can we think that General Feng dared obloquy, and the stigma of turncoat, besauze his gaze was fixed on the greater good of China, which end: say means wad permis Has he done evil that good Practically no example. in China, He has policed whatever district he Was inefficiently; he has disciplined his men as no other troops {in China are disciplined; thas made them welcome wherever they went, (Then followed some estimate of the weakness of Wu Pei-fu's posi-ton at the Great Wall, too long to may general city ho lieved this Genre Feng, perceiving this, resolved to feat the Gordian knot, to bring to an end, by any means, s war which never had his approval. For it ix notorious that he was' lukewarm towards his "sworn. brother" Wu Pel-fu, who certainly did not trust, kim.
But against this, if Wu Pei-fu's equipment and the uneven character of his troops was such as to offer: 1 hope of victory agains! Marshal Chang's well provided men, Gen-feral Feng must have known this weeks ago. Why did he not, from the outset, deciare: that he would have. nothing. do with Marshal Wu's enterprise? Why does he delay action ti! now when Wu appears almost inextricably tied up at Shantaikuan, with three weeks behind him of failure to reap the Promised victory, and consequent decline, 8 we Tay well suppose, in his soldiers' confidence?" No dowst this delay on General Feng's part to declare himself made the success of his coup bore certain, But was it quite—nico? We ting that among the most thinking Chinese in Shanghai, even among those who are antagonistic to Wu Peicfu, there is no disposition. to approve what General Feng has done, very much the reverse, wrete:—Jater in this article we
We cannot bring ourselves to believe that any authority built on stich deception can reaper; house on the sands; the foundations are rotten, No' one can tell may repose confidence. China was none too west before this But now there seems no faith, honour, no loyalty anywhere.
It may be that General Feng will prove us wrong, may yet save China. But it cannot be thought that, the first results of his action point that way, although, to do him justice, one does not, somehow, see him allowing Dr. Sun's riffraff to make hay in Peking.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.