News of the "election" of Tsao Kun to the Presidential Chair reached us in_ this morning's papers -from Tientsin, and tonight tongues are busy wagging in the city with highly coloured speculations as to the probable date of the opening of hostilities, and the chances of the rival combatants. It has been evident for some weeks that local public opinion regards a clash as inevitable. Last week it was reported that the 23rd Division, units of which have been garrisoning this and neighbouring hsien along the IT. P. Railway, are under orders to move north within a few days.
Two days ago your correspondent had an interesting conversation with a well-informed local man, who had just returned from Tientsin, bringing with him the latest gossip of friends in that city, some of whom are in a position to speak with authority on the present situation. Other sources of information tapped between then and the present moment, seem to confirm the opinions expressed by my friend, and reveal a surprising unanimity in the minds of many regarding the attitude of Gen. Wu Pei-fu_ wards this triumph of Tsao Kun's unscrupulous henchmen in securing for their patron the coveted prize. The Loyang warlord is manifestly playing a deep game, and one that appeals to the imagination of the man in the street when he Yemembers the General's dazzling success of 16 months ago, and reflects on the subsequent retirement to Honan, leaving Peking to the clumsy, scheming politicians of the Chihli natty, on whose antics, however, he has kept a watchful eye.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.