Struggle—How Militarists are Bred The long outstanding question of the Tuchun of Anhui has now been settled, and Chang Hsun, the most-talked of Tuchun-elect and the man most dreaded by the Anhuiese will not come after all to their province as Tuchun, says the "Shunpao." Has the Government been really inclined to respect the will of the Anhuiese? The latter are a people apparently very hoid to please and convince, for they assert that Chang Wen-sen is only the incarnate spirit of Chang Hsun, and that he will have no influence and power apart from what Chang Hsun may choose to delegate to him. To relieve their province from the insidious power of Nyi Tsze-chung is ardently desired by the Anhuiese but to substitute for it something no better is rather disappointing, to say the least. Anhui had hoped to abolish the tuchunship, or to secure a better military governor. As neither hope has been realized, will the Anhuiese eschew their feeling of dissatisfaction?
Another long debated question anent the Inspector-Generalship of the Yangtze River has also been disposed of. After protracted and repeated consultations, do we take it that the tacit understanding to treat Tsao Kun, Chang Tso-lin and Li Shun on an equal basis has thus been carried out to the letter? At first, it was reported Li Shun would become Inspector-General ut three provinces, namely, Kiangsi, Anhui and Kiangsu; then, he was to be that of only two provinces, Anhui and Kiangsu; and now he has been made Inspector-General of the Changkiang, the same old title borne by Nyi Tsze-chung and without any real power. Will Li Shun be able to enforce his rights vis-a-vis Tsao and Chang? Will he feel satisfied with this empty honour?
Although the people's wishes may be ignored, it would hardly do +o disregard the desires of a Tuchun. However, dismissing the questions we have asked, it must be patent to all that the Government must have spent many an anxious hour in evolving this plan of depriving Nyi of his territorial holidays for the benefit of Li and Chang.
Tue Income Tax.
"Taxes and dues imposed to-day are so numerous and all-embracing that the cupidity of the Manchus would, in comparison, become quite insignificant," remarks the "Shun-pao." "With military operations and with recurrent famines, our peo. ple are tottering under the burden of tyrannical government as they have never tottered before. Even our most thick-skinned financiers might well blush before venturing to speak of any source of wealth
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.