Yuan Shih-kai died June 6, 1916, and was succeeded by the Vice-President Li Yuan-hung. Shortly after the beginning of his administration, he became in volved in difficulties with the legislative branch. In June, 1917, the President sent to Parliament a bill demanding war against the Central Powers. German propaganda was busy, and the Parlia ment voted down the measure. There upon the President dissolved Parliament. This action was declared to be arbitrary and unconstitutional, and six provinces seceded and set up a rival government at Canton. Dr. Sun-Yat-sen, assisted by Wu Ting-Fang, former Ambassador to the United States, headed the forces of the secessionists. In the meantime the Pre mier, Tuan Chi-jui, believing the Presi dent too weak to subdue the rebels, or ganized a party of his own and induced General Chang Hsun to make an attempt to restore the Manchu dynasty. The boy Emperor was in fact reinstated and reigned for the brief period of ten days, when Tuan, who seems to have played a double part, drove out the forces that he had himself urged to enter Peking and posed as the savior of the Republic. The President was so thoroughly cowed by the attempted royalist coup that he re fused to resume his office. Tuan, there fore, requested the Vice-President, Feng Kup-chang to assume the office and is sued a call for a new Parliament. Both of these acts were denounced as illegal by the Canton secessionists, and as the latter had been strengthened by the adhe sion of part of the Chinese fleet they in augurated hostilities against the Peking government. At first they were success ful, but in March, 1918, tl'.ey lost Yockow and were forced to evacuate Changsha, the capital of Hunan. After that there were alternate victories and defeats for both sides. Each had about 300,000 men under arms, but the Peking Government was better supplied with artillery and ammunition. The field of operations cov ered half the area of China. Commerce was paralyzed, agriculture was almost at a standstill and flood and famine added to the horrors of civil war.
This internecine strife was strongly disapproved by the Allies, not only on humane and commercial grounds, but be cause it diminished the usefulness of China as an ally in the war against the Central Powers. Strong efforts were made to compose the differences between the Canton and Peking governments. These were brought nearer realization by the resignation of Sun-Yat-sen as the leader of the Canton secessionists and the election as President of Hsu-shih chang, an astute and sagacious states man. He was elected Aug. 10, 1918, and inaugurated Oct. 10 of the same year. He was moderate and conciliatory and through his efforts the factions were brought to the verge of settlement of the questions at issue between them.
Negotiations had been opened at Shanghai between representatives of the Northern Government and representa tives of the Canton Government, the latter having become dissatisfied with the militaristic aims of the Kwang-si and Kwang-tung leaders. This it was ex pected would have led to a speedy reunion of the main factions whose antagonism had for years kept the Republic in tur moil. New problems developed, however, through the dismissal of General Hsu Chi-Cheng, Resident Commissioner of Inner Mongolia and commander on the north-west frontier. This action had been taken early in July, 1920, and was due to hostile feeling between the Reform party at whose head was General Chang Tso-ling and the Angy party, to which Hsu Chi-Cheng belonged. His colleagues, General Wu Pei-fu and Tsao-Kun took up arms in his behalf and threatened an advance on Peking. This created a panic in the capital. Efforts were made to
compose the quarrel, and the President, Hsu Chi-Cheng, ordered both sides to retire to their barracks and enter upon negotiations. The effort was ineffective, however. Tuan Chi-jui was surprised by Wu Pei-fu's troops south of Nanynau and retreated toward the capital. In the severe fighting that followed July 15-18 the forces of Wu Pei-fu were victorious. The demoralized troops of Tuan Chi-jui were reported as retreating toward Peking. The diplomatic corps in that city served notice on the government that Peking must not be bombarded and that the safety of foreign residents must be assured. The gates of the city were closed and martial law declared. Mem bers of the old imperial family appealed to the foreign legations for protection as they feared that they would be made the victims of propaganda, alleging that General Wu Pei-fu was carrying on a movement for the restoration of the monarchy. A few days later the forces of Tuan were defeated and their leader made an ineffectual attempt to commit suicide.
On Aug. 28, 1920, Dr. Sun-Yat-sen, the first President of the Chinese Republic, Governor Wu-Ting-Fang and other lead ers of the Southern Government, issued a proclamation that they looked for the overthrow of the illegal government of Peking through the forces of General Tang, who was holding control over the provinces of Yunnan, Kwei-Chow, and Sze-chuen. Military headquarters for the new government were established in the eastern part of Sze-chuen. In spite of this, however, the Premier announced on Aug. 28 that peace with the Southern Government was an accomplished fact. On Aug. 28 Dr. Paul S. Reinsch, former minister to China, and for several years legal adviser to the Chinese government, resigned his position. A new cabinet was appointed on Aug. 11, 1920.
Relations with Japan.—Shortly after the formation of the Chinese Republic, Japan sought to enforce demands on China that practically robbed her of a large part of her sovereignty. The march of the Japanese on Tsing-tao at the out break of the World War had been made through 150 miles of Chinese territory. Against this violation of her neutrality China had protested, but as she had no army or navy that could cope with the Japanese, her protests were unheeded. On Jan. 18, 1915, the Japanese Minister to Peking presented 21 demands on the part of his government. They were made under the plea of "maintaining the peace of eastern Asia and of further strength ening the friendly relations existing be tween the two neighboring nations." Space forbids the statement here of all the demands, but, besides, the arrange ments regarding Shantung elsewhere alluded to, they included the demands that the leases of Port Arthur, Dalny and the railroads should be extended for 99 years, that Japan should have an equal voice with China in matters relat ing to south Manchuria and inner Mon golia, that Japanese instructors and ad visers should be employed by China and that 50 per cent. of war munitions needed by China should be bought from Japan. Foreign governments were alarmed at the sweeping character of these demands and asked for explanations. They were told in reply that only ten of the articles were really demands, while the rest were requests. Under pressure from her ally, Great Britain, Japan eventually modified some of the demands but remained firm on others, and, on May 6, 1915, issued an ultimatum to China and began to mo bilize against her. Under the threat of invasion, China acquiesced and signed away her sovereignty, giving to Japan important concessions that in some cases extended beyond the year 2000.