Sept 18.
Tue political situation in China hag not been bettered by the arrival in Shanghai of General Li Yuan-hung, President or ex-President of China whichever be may be. The position, however, may possibly have been somewhat clarified, but if so it reveals merely a new style of working an old intrigue. From the moment that Tsao Kun's Presidential ambitions came within tangible distance of accomplishment, General Li Yuan-hung has been recognized as a figure round which all opponents might gather with the object of thwarting the plans for their achievement. His was not the commanding personality of a leader about whom zealous patriots were rallying, but merely a figure. which would be useful in the present time of crisis, under whose auspices politicians of varying shades of opinion, but all opposed to Tsao Kun. could meet with the object of defeating Chihli. Such a role for Tui Yuan-hung has more and more impressed itself upon the minds of the outside' public letterly, and now that he has come to Shanghai the light of day seems to have been shed upon it. As usual in a case of this sort no account of the state of affairs is absolutely definite, but there are two versions. which agree up to a certain point, and which are worthy of ow attention. Assuming that either is correct, it must be conceded that General Li's action in coming to Shanghai for the purpose of furthering them has little to commend it. By doing so he is imposing upon Shanghai 2 political character which it were better to have been without, and is doing what might as well have been done elsewhere.
Opposition to Tsao Kun as President centres at © present principally in three political parties—Anfu, Mukden and the Kuomintang. At the head.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.