people who have tried to win his favour and gain rewards by concocting the alleged unanimous petitions of the whole country urging his accession to the Throne.  In reality, however, the will of the people is precisely the opposite.  Even the high officials in the Capital talk about the matter in a jeering and sarcastic way.  As for the tone of the newspapers outside Peking, that is better left unmentioned.  And as for the “small people” who crowd the streets and the market-places, they go about as if something untoward might happen at any moment.  If a kingdom can be maintained by mere force, then the disturbance at the time of Ch’in Chih-huang and Sui Yang Ti could not have been successful.  If, on the other hand, it is necessary to secure the co-operation and the willing submission of the hearts of the people, then is it not time that our Great President bethinks himself and boldly takes his own stand?

Some argue that to hesitate in the middle of a course after indulging in much pomp and pageantry at the beginning will result in ridicule and derision and that the dignity of the Chief Executive will be lowered.  But do they even know whether the Great President has taken the least part in connection with the phantasies of the past four months?  Do they know that the Great President has, on many occasions, sworn fidelity before high Heaven and the noon-day sun?  Now if he carries out his sacrosanct promise and is deaf to the unrighteous advice of evil counsellors, his high virtue will be made even more manifest than ever before.  Wherein then is there need of doubt or fear?

Others may even suggest that since the proposal was initiated by military men, the tie that has hitherto bound the latter to the Great President may be snapped in case the pear fails to ripen.  But in the humble opinion of Ch’i-chao, the troops are now all fully inspired with a sense of obedience to the Chief Executive.  Who then can claim the right to drag our Great President into unrighteousness for the sake of vanity and vainglory?  Who will dare disobey the behests of the Great President if he should elect to open his heart and follow the path of honour and unbroken vows?  If to-day, as Head of the nation, he is powerless to silence the riotous clamour of the soldiery as happened at Chen-chiao in ancient time, then be sure in the capacity of an Emperor he will not be able to suppress an outbreak of troops even as it happened once at Yuyang in the Tang dynasty.[20] To give them the handle of the sword is simply courting trouble for the future.  But can we suspect the troops—­so long trained under the Great President—­of such unworthy conduct?  The ancients say “However a thing is done, do not hurt the feelings of those who love you, or let your enemy have a chance to rejoice.”  Recently calamities in the forms of drought and flood have repeatedly visited China; and the ancients warn us that in such ways does Heaven manifest