June 20.
Nor since China became a Republic has the political outlook been so interesting and so full of possibilities of good as now, With which reflexion let us venture to add a warning against excessive optimism. many expectations of woe have failed of fulfilment, so may hopes of joy be frustrated. If there is ground for thinking well of the future, it might no doubt equally be argued that we should put our faith in nothing but coming disappointment. There are, as always, a vast number of cooks desirous of helping with the political broth and it will be none too easy to keep them in order. But the fact remains that to all appearances there is no political issue which a little coolness and common sense may not adjust.
The outstanding event of the past few days is the re-assumption of power in Canton by General Chen Chiung-ming. By common accord General Chen is a man of character and ability, If he had done nothing else, his refusal to support Dr. Sun Yat-sen's punitive expedition against the North would have won him commendation. For although the North may have richly deserved to be punished, the prospects of its ever suffering from Dr. Sun's army were infinitesimal, while the innocent people among whom that'army passed.would have suffered enormously—as witness the tragic story of Kuangsi. About April 21 or 22, General Chen Chiung-ming, seeing no other way of stopping the expedition, retired out of Canton, taking all the military equipment that he could carry, and sat down to wait at Waichow for Dr.
Sun metaphorically to hang him-Self. With the abdication of ex-President Hsu Shih-chang, General Chen announces that there is no further need of punitive expeditions, and he therefore returns to Canton, as it would appear easily enough. Of Dr. Sun Yat-sen's whereabouts there is at the time of writing no news. Once again, as in every previous revolution, be has managed to get left." Surely he was born under an unlucky star: and although it is impossible to put any trust in his leadership, there can be little but sympathy for him.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.