Aug. 9.
Wane Chan-yuan, Tuchun of Hupeh, has sent in his resignation to Peking, because he is no longer able to keep order in his province. Except that Peking has not accepted it, his resignation appears to clear the air somewhat as regards strife between Hupeh and Hunan. But if Tuchun Wang is to be allowed to retire in peace, with all his wealth, to the refuge of Shanghai, justice must be considerably lamer of foot than tradition usually pictures her.
We have no personal animus against Tuchun Wang. By the accounts of those who have met him he is courteous, like all his race, and of pleasing personality. But his administration of Hupeh includes three very bad lootings by unpaid soldiers, two at Ichang, one at Wuchang, for which not one penny of compensation has been paid nor anyone worth mentioning punished. It matters not in the least who stole the money for want of which the soldiers helped themselves from helpless citizens. As absolute ruler of Hupeh, Tuchun Wang is responsible and he and, nobody else should be made to pay, out of his own pocket. Afterwards, but not till afterwards, by all means Jet him retire to Shanghai. The less chance of his trying to recoup himself from the provincials.
The foreign representatives will certainly, not interfere in any quarrel) between Hupeh and Hunan. On that score the Hupeh Self-Government party may set their minds at rest. But we believe that that party and others like them all over China would with both hands welcome foreign interference of the kind suggested, interference exemplified by bluejackets in Tuchun Wang's yamen, holding him prisoner until he had paid for those lootings. There is no other means by which compensation will ever be got, compensation at least that twice looted.
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Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.