The whole country is telegraphing opposition to the
Government's policy and wants to know whether Germany will not in
the future take revenge on account of our rupture with her; and if
we are not secured against this eventuality, what are the
preparations to meet with a contingency? The Government must not
stake the fate of the nation as if it be a child's toy, and the
people must not be cast into the whirlpool of slaughter. The
people are the backbone of a country, and if the people are all
opposed to war on Germany, the Government--in spite of the support
of Parliament--must call a great citizens' convention to decide
the question. We must persist in our neutrality. You gentlemen are
patriotic sons of this country and must know that the existence of
China as a nation depends upon what she does now in this matter.
In tears, I appeal to you. KANG YU-WEI."
March and April were consumed in this fruitless discussion in
which everybody participated. The Premier, General Tuan Chi-jui,
in view of the alleged provincial opposition, now summoned to
Peking a Conference of Provincial Military Governors to endorse
his policy, but this action although crowned with success so far
as the army chiefs were concerned--the conference voting solidly
for war--was responsible for greatly alarming Parliament which saw
in this procedure a new attempt to undermine its power and control
the country by extra-legal means.
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