File No. 893.00/1700.
The American Chargé
d’Affaires to the Secretary of
State.
[Extract.]
No. 858.]
American Legation,
Peking,
May 16, 1913.
Sir: Referring to my despatch No. 841 of May
6, 1913, in which mention was made of the attempts of Dr. Sun Yat-sen,
General
[Page 122]
Huang Hsing and
General Chen Chimei to raise a rebellion against the present Peking
Government, I have the honor to report further upon the political
situation in China.
There can be no doubt whatever as to the truthfulness of the charges made
against the three revolutionary leaders just mentioned.
The manifesto of Dr. Sun Yat-sen against the loan, issued on May 6th, of
which a copy is enclosed, is itself evidence of his feeling towards Yuan
Shih-k’ai and of his belief at that time that civil war was impending.
But the only people who were disposed to make war were those
dissatisfied with the government of Yuan; that is to say, the partisans
of Dr. Sun. * * *
The common people take no interest in politics and the mercantile
community is decidedly opposed to any further disturbance of the peace.
The chambers of commerce in various cities sent telegrams to Peking
protesting against the plottings of these promoters of a second
revolution. * * * It was only after Dr. Sun and General Huang learned
that the people were not with them, that money would not be forthcoming
for the support of the movement, that they declared they had no thought
of creating a revolution. * * *
The movement for a separation of the southern provinces from the Republic
is not altogether new. In fact the union of the Nanking Government of
1912 with that of Yuan Shih-k’ai or rather its absorption by the
government of Yuan was never to the liking of certain revolutionary
leaders. Some saw the perquisites of office slipping from their grasp;
others of a higher character distrusted the conservative leaders of the
north and did not believe that political reforms were to be expected
under such leadership. They have been particularly displeased by the
appointment to high office of so many old-fashioned mandarins of the
Manchu régime. The foreign-educated Chinese of the south have seen with
chagrin that the Government is being carried on under the Republic in
very much the same way and to some extent by the very same men as under
the Monarchy. Even before the Sung Chiao-jen murder occurred there was
serious talk of an attempt to organize another government at Nanking.
The Kuo Min Tang, or Nationalist Party, which is opposing Yuan, called a
meeting of its leaders at Shanghai before the meeting of the National
Assembly at Peking. Predictions were freely made that the
representatives of the south would not come to Peking and that a
division of the country would be made. Happily, wiser councils
prevailed. But the murder of Sung and the signing of the Quintuple Loan
gave the discontented further opportunities for agitation of which they
were not slow to avail themselves.
For two weeks past the situation has been critical. The danger is not
entirely over, but matters are slowly improving. * * * So long as the
mercantile classes hold to their attitude of opposition to civil war
there can be no successful attempt to overthrow the present Government.
This is well known to Dr. Sun and, taken with the announcement of the
Municipal Council of the International Settlement at Shanghai that
agitators would not be allowed to use the Settlement for the publication
of slanderous attacks upon the Government, may be said to have dampened
very considerably the ardor of the conspirators. * * *
I have [etc.]
[Page 123]
[Inclosure—Translation.]
Manifesto of Doctor Bun Yat Sen.
To the Governments and People of the Foreign
Powers:
As the result of careful investigations by officials appointed by the
Government to inquire into the recent murder of the Nationalist
leader Sung Chiao-jen in Shanghai, the fact is clearly established
that the Peking Government is seriously implicated in the crime.
Consequently the people are extremely indignant and the situation
has become so serious that the nation is on the verge of the most
acute and dangerous crisis yet experienced.
The Government, conscious of its guilt and the enormity of its
offense, and realizing the strength of the wave of indignation
sweeping over the nation as the direct result of its criminal deeds
and wicked betrayal of the trust repesed in it, and perceiving that
it is likely to lead to its downfall, suddenly and
unconstitutionally concluded a loan for £25,000,000 sterling with
the quintuple group despite the protests of the representatives of
the nation now assembled in Peking.
This high-handed and unconstitutional action of the Government
instantly accentuated the intense indignation which had been caused
by the foul murder of Sung Chiao-jen, so that at the present time
the fury of the people is worked up to white heat and a terrible
convulsion appears almost inevitable. Indeed acute has the crisis
become that the widespread smouldering embers may burst forth in a
devastating conflagration at any moment.
From the date of the birth of the Republic I have striven for unity,
peace, concord and prosperity. I recommended Yuan Shih-kai for the
presidency because there appeared reasons for believing that by
doing so the unification of the nation and the dawn of an era of
peace and prosperity would thereby be hastened. Ever since then I
have done all I could to evolve peace, order and government out of
chaos created by the revolution. I earnestly desire to preserve
peace throughout the Republic but my efforts will be rendered
ineffective if financiers would supply the Peking Government with
money that could and probably would be used in waging war against
the people.
If the country is plunged into war at this juncture it will
inevitably inflict terrible misery and suffering upon the people,
who are just beginning to recover from the dislocation of trade and
losses of various kinds caused by the revolution. For the
establishment of the Republic, they have sacrificed much and are now
determined to preserve it at all costs.
If the people are now forced into a life-and-death struggle for the
preservation of the Republic not only will it entail terrible
suffering to the masses but inevitably also adversely affect all
foreign interests in China.
If the Peking Government is kept without funds there is a prospect of
a compromise between it and the people being effected, while the
immediate effect of a liberal supply of money will probably be the
precipitation of a terrible and disastrous conflict.
In the name and for the sake of humanity which civilization holds
sacred I therefore appeal to you to exert your influence with a view
to preventing the bankers from providing the Peking Government with
funds which at this juncture will assuredly be utilized as the
sinews of war. I appeal to all who have the lasting welfare of
mankind at heart to extend to me in this hour of need their moral
assistance in averting unnecessary bloodshed and in shielding my
countrymen from a hard fate which they have done absolutely nothing
to deserve.
Note.—During May and June the American
Chargé d’Affaires reported at intervals that, in spite of the
various disturbances (details of which he gave in his
despatches) the situation was on the whole improving or had not
greatly changed. (File Nos. 893.00/1723, 1735. 1761.)
