Furthermore a new article, conferring on
the President the right to dismiss the Premier summarily by
Presidential Mandate without the counter-signature of the other
Cabinet Ministers, completed the disarray of the conservatives who
saw in this provision the dashing of their last hopes. [Footnote:
The final text of the Permanent Constitution as it stood on the
28th May, 1917, will be found in the appendix. Its accuracy has
been guaranteed to the writer by the speakers of the two Houses.]
By the 21st May, the last remaining Cabinet Minister--the
Minister of Education--had resigned and the Premier was left
completely isolated. On the 23rd May the President, relying on the
general support of the nation, summarily dismissed General Tuan
Chi-jui from the Premiership and appointed the veteran diplomat
Dr. Wu Ting-fang to act during the interim period in his stead, at
the same time placing the metropolitan districts under four
trustworthy Generals who were vested with provost-marshals' powers
under a system which gave them command of all the so-called
"precautionary troops" holding the approaches to the capital. The
Military Governors, who a few hours before these events had left
Peking precipitately in a body on the proclaimed mission of
allying themselves with the redoubtable General Chang Hsun at
Hsuchowfu, and threatening the safety of the Republic were,
however, coolly received in the provinces in spite of all their
most bitter attempts to stir up trouble.
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