The Times of Tuesday published an extremely interesting account of
a conversation which its Peking correspondent had with Yuan Shih-kai. Yuan Shih-kai, while admitting the enormous difficulties of the situation, clung to his plan of retaining the Manchu dynasty as a constitutional monarchy. He said that there were already signs of dissension among the revolutionaries, and that if a rampant democracy were intro. duced China would probably disintegrate. The correspondent pointed out that there was no offer of compromise from the revolutionaries, who announced themselves as absolutely com- mitted to the removal of the Manchu dynasty, and suggested that a mistrusted Imperial House could not very well be a unifying force. Yuan Shih-kai, however, held to his opinion adding that in his belief seven-tenths of the population were favourable to the old regime, and that if the dynasty were overthrown there would soon be a counter-revolution by Royalists. Yuan Shih-kai said that be was considering a pro- posal which had some support from reasonable persons that the Court should retire voluntarily to the royal country house at Jehol and that a national convention, including representa- tives from the so-called independent provinces, should be summoned to decide whether the Monarchy be retained or a Federal Republic be established.
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