II
Szechuan.
The political situation at Chengtu has been chiefly remarkable for the complete ascendency which has been gained by the military party under the acting Tutu Hu Ching-yi and the gradual elimination of rival claimants for power from among the various political parties in the province. Owing to the successful intrigues of Hu, the president was induced to abolish the separate post of civil governor, hitherto held by Chang Pei-cho, president of the Tung Meng Hui, and to invest Hu himself with the duties of the office. Other members of the Teng Meng Hui were compelled to resign their offices, the only one now left in a situation of importance being the Commissioner for Foreign Affairs, Chang Chih-hsiang, whose position is none too secure. As a result of the ascendency of the military party, nearly all the yamêns and temples have been converted into barracks and the parade grounds in the corners of the city are scenes of great activity.
In spite of the good order that is being maintained, signs of unrest and discontent are not wanting, and plots engineered by the many divergent political parties are constantly coming to light.
The restoration of order in Szechuan has rendered the return of foreign missionaries to their districts feasible and the great majority are now back at their posts with their wives and families. Partly owing to their temporary retreat a movement has been started in more than one place for eliminating the foreign missionaries altogether from the control of church work and placing the mission centre and incidentally the mission property under the control of native pastors. Such a development appeals strongly to the highly independent Szechuan mind and has the sympathetic support of the non-Christian but equally anti-foreign native officials. This phrase will require some tactful handling by the foreign missionary body in the near future.
The acting British consul at Chungking reports that the interior of Eastern Szechuan is reverting to normal conditions, and that travel and residence in these parts is now incomparably safer than was the case in December 1911. Armed robbers, however, are still to be feared, as is evidenced by the recent attack on a party of missionaries near Fushan, which resulted in the death of the six-year old son of the Rev. R. O. Jolliffe.
220