Omaha daily bee., 1896-12-06
CHINESE PnOGREssIvE SOCIETY.

whose appearance and elocution won the
praise of the newspapers
CHINESE PROGRESSIVE SOCIETY.
Movement that Aims to Turn the
FIowery Kingdom Into IL Republic.
Copyright 1896 by the Associated Press.)
LONDON, Dec. 5.-Sun Vat Sen, the Chi
nese doctor who was kidnapped by officials
Of the Chinese legation here, and who was
subsequently released on the demand of the
marquis of Salisbury. has published an arti-
Gle here in which he says the value OF Ii
Hung Chang's head Will be determined by
the value of the information he has taken
to China anent the doings and power of the
Chinese abroad. Sun Yat Sen says he was
the leader of the conspiracy in Canton in
October, 1895, to establish a constitution for
China. The society which he belonged to
was the Hing Chung Woey, meaning Chi
nese Progressing society" He says it has
a powerful organization in America with a
center at San Francisco, and headquarters
at New York. Sun Yat Sen further states
the American chief Is Walter Fong, the first
Chinese graduate at Stamford. Conn, and
that his principal colleagues are graduates
of Yale, Harvard and other universities.
The article includes a letter, dated at Chi
cago. from Wong Chin Fee, who claims the
movement in the United States is in good
shape. Many attempts tn compass Sun Yet
Sens" death are predictad.
NEW YORK, Dec. 5.--1lquiries among the
Cinnamon OF this city by a representative
of the Associated press establish the fact
that the Hing Chung Woey has large and
rapidly increasing membership. both in this
country and China. Prominent Cinnamon here
when first approached were very reticent
but when they were assured their names
would not be made public. they consented to
talk about the matter. Several of them
acknowledged that there was such a society
in existence, but not one of them would say
that he was a member. AS to the purport
of the organization, II was generally con-
ceded that the Chinese subjects were diSsat-
sfled with the rule of the emperor, and
they were cognizant of no other way to
overthrow the empeIprs power than by
secret means. None of those questioned
would acknowledge that the headquarters
of this society existed in this country. but
one or two inadvertently spoke OF leaders in
San Francisco and New York. One OF the
best known Chinese merchants in this city
said the movement was for the overthrow
of the present government in China and the
substitution OF a republican form Of gov
ernment. He said the organization was more
successful in point of numbers than the most
sanguine expectations of the leaders had
looked for, and he claimed that In the United
States alone its adherPnts could be num-
bered with six figures. One more bold than
the others volunteered this statement: 81
cannot" he said, disclose anything with
reference to the work of the organization,
but when the time comes to strike a blow
for the overthrow of the present dynasty
and the formation OF a republic on Amer-
can lines, the system OF government now
existing in China will receive a severe
shock and | think we will win. Were |
in China, my head would pay the penalty
for these words. But l think l have said
enough, just enough 10 give you an idea OF
how far-relchng our societys work has
gone. Like all secret bodies, we have to be
reticent, and while our work is being car
rled on with a great deal Of secrecy we
have no fear of Its ultimate success"
As to the value OF Ii Hung Chang's head
TO be determined by the value of the in
formation he acquired during his Europeaa
and American trip, none OF those interviewed
would say anything further than that they
knew nothing of the arrangements made by
the emperor with his ambassador when he
sent him on his trip around the world.
CHICAGO, Dec. 5.--Accordng to Wong
Chin Foo, editor of the Chinese News in this
city, China 10 on the eve Of an upheayal such
as is now going on In Cuba. He was tonight
shown tho reports in the c. bleg from London
to the effect that Sun Vat Sen was a mem
ber OF society having fer Ito object tae
liberation of China from its present DYNASTY
He said the report was true and that he
would have preferred to have the story recret
for some time longer bat as II was out he
wished to confirm it In every particular. The
gist OF his statement IS that there is in the
Flowery Klngd m society called Hing Chang
Wong, which Is allied 10 the Liberty league
q Americanl2ed Cinnamon IN this country
and to a similar organization in England. He
sa'a the object OF the association was to &
away with the eXclusiyenesg of the Chinese
hlngdom and open II up to modern ciyiiza-
tion. The present dynasty, according 10
Wong Chin Foo, win be asked 10 get cut
and II 1t refuses 1t will be put out Only
Iclceable methods viii be at first employed
but If these are not successful then an ap cal
VIII be made to arms and England and Amer
O. viii he asked 10 rGc5 gnize the ro:orm
party as belgerents. He said the reason
mat sun Vat Sen was kidnapped by TIC
Chinese embassy In. London was solely be
cause he was known 10 be a member Of =.
reform party aud that II the Chinese govern
ment had succeeded In getting him TO CHM
his head would have been cut on at once
Tho reform movement 10 scheduled to begin
active operations in the very near future.