Those of our readers who follow Chinese politics closely will have in mind an article written by Mr. Rodney Gilbert last week descriptive of advice directed at Li Yuan-hung by that astute politic ian Li Keng-yuan. Its effect was that he should endow his family with half his worldly goods, renounce his_ technical claim to the title of President, go south and become a revolutionary and devote the remaining half of his wealth to this new movement to reform the country. The report was that General Li received the advice thoughtfully, and the fact that he almost "immediately transferred half his wealth to re-natives created the impression that he might possibly follow it. Yesterday the "Sinwanpao" made the announcement that General Li was carrying ouf the whole programme, and was already making preparations to come to Shanghai, half of his fortune of three millions being now devoted to the salvation of the country. The "Ninwanpao" report coincides so closely with what was said to Li Yuan-hung last week that one may be excused for having suspicions of its authenticity. When dealing with political events in China one can seldom hope to get at the whole truth, and knowing this the tendency is ever to rely more on reports which seem approximately correct than those which bear out to their minutest details previous announcements 4 or pronouncements.
While debate ing in our minds whether to accept or discard this Chinese report, we must remember that many influences in Shanghai, principally among.the M.P.'s and. their supporters, are working to bring Li Yuan-hung to Shanghai, and even if he does not.actually come the reiteration of the statement that he is on his way may achieve the desired effect.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.