When this
occurs, shall we uphold Yuan's Government and assist him to
suppress the internal insurrection with the certain assurance that
we could influence him to agree to our demands, or shall we help
the revolutionists to achieve a success and realize our object
through them? This question must be definitely decided upon this
very moment so that we may put it into practical execution. If we
do not look into the future fate of China but go blindly to uphold
Yuan's Government, to enter into a Defensive Alliance with China,
hoping thus to secure a complete realization of our object by
assisting him to suppress the revolutionists, it is obviously a
wrong policy. Why? Because the majority of the Chinese people have
lost all faith in the tottering Yuan Shi-kai who is discredited
and attacked by the whole nation for having sold his country. If
Japan gives Yuan the support, his Government, though in a very
precarious state, may possibly avoid destruction. Yuan Shi-kai
belongs to that school of politicians who are fond of employing
craftiness and cunning. He may be friendly to us for a time, but
he will certainly abandon us and again befriend the other Powers
when the European war is at an end. Judging by his past we have no
doubt as to what he will do in the future. For Japan to ignore the
general sentiment of the Chinese people and support Yuan Shi-kai
with the hope that we can settle with him the Chinese Question is
a blunder indeed.
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