Lhe President said that when he came to Peking six years ago the salaries of tne soldiers and the police were paid regularly. Since he left Peking some 700 million dollars of debt had been contracted. It must not be thought, however, that China was without money. "We have the revenue from railways, from tobacco and wine taxation, from the Customs and the salt, not to speak of native likin. There is enough money, bud the Tuchuns will not remit to Peking, and so the Central Gov ormument is financially embarras-The President pointed out that a year ago, when the representatives of the Chihli Party came to Tientsin and om their bended knees begged him to take over'the administration he refused' at first, but finally yielded on receiving' pro-.mises that the tuchunate would be abolished and that superfluous seldlery would be disbanded. His Excellency held proof of these promises, but had they been fulfilled? Not a single thing had been done im support of these promises. Now those men who had besought him to come to Peking were doing their utmost to oust him by mean tricks.
The President did not receive one cent from the Government for his services, although he should draw a salary of $104,000 per month. He was giving his services free.
What about the revenue from Hatamen Octroi? asked a correspondent:
for the staff.
That, replied His Excellency, is
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.