The times., 1898-10-23
KANG YU VETS NOTIONS
A Celestial Who Has Lots of
Vim in His Makeup.
HE HAS A STRANGE STORY
A Very Remarkable Man of Excep-
tiOnaI Intellectual Attainments
Who Is Accused of Completely in
the Plot Against the Emperor of
China-A Reformer, Too.

Kang Yu Wei, who, according to the
cable dispatches, is accused of conspir-
acy against the life of the Emperor of
China, says a Chicago correspondent, is
a remarkable man, a sort of meteor in
Chinese politics. He comes from Canton,
but was educated in Hong Kong and is
thoroughly Europeanized.
Having remarkable literary attachments
he passed the highest examinations re-
quired by the government, and was ap-
pointed secretary to the board of public
works, which has charge of railroad con-
cessions and similar matters of ,dninis-
tration, so that he has been in the center
of the row between Russia and EngIand.
and his sympathies and influence lave
been exercised in behalf of the latter
country. This accounts for his escape
and protection upon a British man-of-war
and for the fact that his personal effects
are at the British legation at Peking
One of the charges against Chang Yen
Hoon. who was formerly minister 10
Washington and was director of public
works, is that he assisted Kang to es-
and other Russian partisans.
When the reform movement was begun
in China a year or two ago Kang Yu
Wei stepped to the head of it, and in COM
pany with the Rev. Mr.. Reid, a Presby-
terrain missionary, organized club and
started the first newspaper ever publish
ed in Peking except the Official Gazette.
They called it Chinese Progress. and ad-
vocated reforms and the adoption of
modern ideas, including the right of petit
ton and the freedom of the press, with
a great deal of ability and energy.
In some way or other Mr. Kang sue
ceeded in breaking through the seclusion
that surrounds the emperor and OBJ
tanned admission to his majesty's pres
ence at all times much to the alarm and
Indignation of some of the conservative
old princes. He became a sort of tutor
to the emperor in the study of modern
affairs. 1t was he who read to him the
life of Peter the Great, and inspired him
with desire to emulate that remark
able monarch. Through him the en-
peror became familiar with the develop
ment of Japan and resolved that China
should not be left behind its nearest
neighbor in the march of progress. His
majesty became so interested in two
books-"The Life and Deeds of Peter the
Great and .The Reformation of Japan
Since the Restoration of the Mikado''-
that he had Mr.. Kang read them to him
twice in order TO fasten their contents
upon his memory. The result was that
Mr. Kang's visits to the palace were often
prolonged to eight hours at a time, and.
of course, this excited the curiosity and
the jealousy of other mandarins.
Under his influence Kwang Su issued a
series of remarkable edicts, which created
a sensation. One of them granted the
right of petition to the throne for every
body, and provided that 1.-The board OF
censors will hereafter be delighted with
the special duty of receiving and pre-
senting to his majesty all memorials OF
petitions that may be presented by schol-
ars not in office, or men of the people,
persons hitherto not allowed to address
the throne in any way, except through
their respective viceroys or governors.
The board of censors is warned not to put
obstacles in the way of people who wish
to communicate with his majesty, for
only through such courses can the en-
peror learn the exact state OF ahairs
throughout the empire"
Such a proceeding as this was equal
to a revolution, and could not be tolerated
by the princes and mandarins at Court
Hence Mr. Kang became very uneopu-
lar He nevertheless persuaded the em-
peror to sign an edict recognizing the
freedom of the press, which was issued
on August last. BY it the editors or