To the Editor of the "Norra-Cuina Datty News."
_Sir,—As a sequel to the publication of an interview which your correspondent, the undersigned, recently had with ex-President' Li Yuan-hung at his home in Tientsin, the following remarkable repudiation was printed in the Shanghai "Shunpao," purporting to be a statement made by Ex-President Ex-President Li Yuan-hung has made a declaration in refutation of a report by Mr. Gilbert published in the ''North-China Daily News."
"Since taking up my (residence ju Tientsin I have seldom received foreign visitors. I have not only remained silent upon the political situation, but I have neither wished to hear nor know anything about it. Recently—certain persons, in view of my refusal to ce South, have been trying to make my residence here unsaly or impossible, I have therefore been more cautious than ever in order to preserve public peace and to protect' myself, Guo Tai-chi, though he acted as my secretary in Peking and in Hope, Sai not beer in correspondence with me since he went to Canton and since he has held views difform from mine. On this occasion, when he paid mo a visit in company with Mr. Gilbert, I could not refuse to see him, considering that he had once been a subordinate of mine. The questions and answers in my interview with Mr. Gilbert were all translated by Quo. The subjects of our conversation were all industrial and nothing was said of politics. In answer to Mr. Gilbert's question with—regard to my views on the present situation and the opinions of influential persons, I replied that I was not able to enlighter him, being ignorant of current agains. Yet such a report was published!
"Perhaps the translator altered statements. I sent a man after Quo to demand an explanation, but Quo had already left for Canton. As the report published is not only prejudicial to myself as an individual, but would also affect our national situation adversely, I must hasten to declare that however freely I might have talked, I would and could never have stooped to utter falsehoods with a view to causing political unrest and strife. Even a stupid man would not make such stotments as were reported.""
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.