Yang Kunru’s Public Notice 1 and Liu Zhilu’s 2 Telegram

We’ve already been instructed by Yang Kunru’s public notice, and there is also a telegram which is a little different from the above, from Liu Zhilu et al. to a number of people: “Chief Executive Duan ³ and all ministers and vice-ministers in Beijing, Fengtian Inspector General Zhang Zuolin, ⁴ Hunan Governor Zhao, Wuhan Inspector General Xiao, ⁵ Jiangxi Commander Fang, ⁶ Fujian Commander Zhou, ⁷ Mr. Cen Xilin, ⁸ Mr. Wu Ziyu, ⁹ Mr. Kang Nanhai, ¹⁰ and Mr. Liang Rengong.” ¹¹ In discussing “their seventh crime,” the telegram states: “The society of our country has always been known for emphasizing agriculture. Landlord and tenant have always shared equally in the proceeds, in a spirit of mutual assistance and natural harmony. Today, seduced by the theory of equal land distribution, chaos is brought to the orderly system of mutual benefit.” This would seem to conflict with the statement of Yang Kunru. According to Yang Kunru, “Three parts for the landlord, three for the state, three for oneself, and 274one for public use.” Everyone gets a little something, so this might be called “mutual benefit.” Liu Zhilu speaks, however, of “equal land distribution,” meaning that the Guangzhou government has instructed the peasants to seize the land from the landlords and distribute it equally, after which the landlords would receive no rents, so that the “order based on mutual benefit is disrupted.” One says that the landlord receives three parts, the other says he receives nothing. I wonder which of these two versions our friends in Beijing and elsewhere really believe.