Jan. 18.
It seems certain that Yunnan troops are already in Kueichow but it is difficult to say how many.
Many rumours are circulated to the effect that most of the provinces are against the Central Government. These are spread in. the hope n> doubt that Kueichow will declare independence. Up to the present we still profess to recognize the Peking Government. But most the official proclamations "Chung Hua Min Kuoh." In certain districts the Bank of China notes are refused as payment by the likin and salt offices. The Kueiyang branch of the Bank is doing little or no business just now.
Our Military Governor has refused to accept the post of Tutuh, but agreed to give help in maintain ing civil and military affairs and to do all possible to preserve peace and order. He still hopes that a conflict in this province between northern and Yunnan troops may be averted. Asking some of the gentry who were present at the meeting at which the offer of the post of Tutuh was made if this means that Kueichow declares independence, I was told "No, it just means that Kueichow will try to Kueiyang, Jan. 20.
'A new daily new: issued here, oppe the first time. It is avowedly, one might say rabidly, anti-monarchical in language as well as in tone. The remarkable thing is that our Military Governor, who at present controls civil as well as military affairs, as recently as to-day declared that he is not opposed to the Central Government and yet he allows the publication of this newspaper.
'The censorship of telegrams and letters continues; that of telegrams is especially strict, the most innocently worded English telegrams being sent to the Military Governor to pass before it allowed to be wired, The Military' Governor does not read English and he has a teacher of English from the Middle School to translate for him.
A-code telegram was brought to him and the translator trying to read it (and, of course, failing to do so) said that it stated that the Military Governor was resisting the Central Government! As a matter of fact it said nothing of the sort, In spite of all that is said officially, I am afraid that we as a independence. For one thing the ince are on the verge of declaring
pro-Yunnan officers seem to be "in the saddle," notably the Military Governor's nephew, a Colonel aged between twenty and thirty. It seems as if the Military Governor is almost powerless effectively to resis*, whatever his intentions, and it seems nearly certain that some hundreds, at least, of Yunnan soldiers will be here before long. If, and when, they come, there cannot surely be any doubt as to Kueichow's position.
I do not hesitate to say that those with substantial interests at stake, do not look forward with any pleasure to "independence," as they fear trouble later on. Last year was the most encouraging one, from a business point of view as well as from that of law and order, since the revolution. Resistance to the Central Government, even if it were to prove successful, will again involve the province in trouble and less.
The new daily which I have referred to states that other pro-vinoes, e.g. Hunan, are resisting the re-stablisiment of the mon-
This is a favourite state Ce tral Government. Le'ters have proved that some of their state-men's are false; you will be able to judge whether or not the present statement is true. All this talk sug-fro
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.