The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-22

the fact that his personal effects are at the
British legation at Pekirg. One of the
csn rS AGAINST Snang yen Hoon w 6d Was
director of public works, is that he assisted
Kan to escape the vengeance of l.. Hung
Chang and other Russian partisans.
When the reform movement as begun in
China a year or two ago Kan Yu Mel
stepped to the head of it: and in company
missionary organized club and starred the
hrst newspaper ever published in Peklng
except the Official Gazette; They called it
Chinese Progress, and advocated reforms
and the adoption of modern ideas, including
the right of petition and the freedom of the
press. with great deal OF ability and
energy
In some way or other Mr.. Kan succeeded
in breaking through the seclusion that sur
rounds the Emperor and obtained admission
to his Majesty's presence at all times much
to the alarm and indignation or some OF the
conservative old princes. lie became sort
OF tutor to the Emperor in the study OF mod
ern affairs. 1t was he who read to him the
life OF Peter the Great and inspired him
monarch. Through him the Emperor be-
came familiar with the development of ia
pan and resolved that China should not be
march Of progress. His Majesty became so
interested in two books-rThe Life and
Deeds of Peter the Great and THE Refor-
nation of Japan Since the Restoration of
the Mikado''-that he had Mr.. Kan read
them to him twice in order to fasten their
contents upon his memory The result was
that Mr.. Kan'S visits to the palace were
often prolonged to eight hours at time,
and of course this excited the curiosity and
the jealousy of other mandarins.
Under his influence Kuang Hsu issued
series of remarkable edicts which created
sensation. One Of them granted the right of
petition to the throne for everybody and
provided that 1.-The board of censors will
hereafter be delighted with the special duty
of receiving and presenting to his Majesty
all memorials or petitions that may be pre-
scented by scholars 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 gov
errors. 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 Emperor
learn the exact state of affairs throughout
the empire"
revolution, and could not be tolerated by the
princes and mandarinS at court. Hence
theless persuaded the Emperor to sign an
edict recognizing the freedom of the press
which was issued on Aug. last. BY it the
editors of newspapers are granted the spe-
cial privilege of writing on political subjects
in order to enlighten those in authority and
tear off the veil which hides in security the
disagreement of officials. This. indeed, -
continued the edict, SIS the primary reason
for the institution of newspapers in all
countries His Majesty also called upon
newspaper editors and contributors mot to
hold back just criticism are they in
future to avoid topics which have heretofore
been forbidden through fear of giving Of
struct his Majesty'S earnest desire to en-
tighten his ministers and the masses
Only those who know the condition of
China can realize the sensation which this
edict created. Hitherto there were no news
papers in the empire outside the treaty
ports and any one who had the nerve to
criticise an official had his head cut off,
while an attempt to communicate with the
Emperor was the most heinous of crimes.
Mr.. Kan is also credited with having Sc
cured an edict for the establishment of a
free school system and number of uni
versities at the capitals of the several prov
inceS for instruction in modern sciences and
also the edict issued last spring requiring
candidates for office to be examined as to
their kowledge of modern affairs instead of
the ancient classics
Weng Tung Ho for quarter of a century
the most powerful man at court except
Prince Kung. had been the Emperor's tutor
and had more influence with him than any
one else except the Empress dowager He
was the leader of the Conservative party.
and undertook to resist the influence of
aster- He was stripped of his offices and
honors. banished from Picking and forbidden
ever to enter the gates of the city again.
Several others who attempted to counterfeit
the influence of the young Canton reformer
met with similar fate, and it is believed
that he. with the assistance of Chang Yen
HOOn and other members of the British fac
ton at court, were responsible for the re-
cent degradation of Ii Hung Chang
Mr.. Kan believed that English influence
was better for China than that of Russia.
because of the difference in their form of
government and the conditions of their peo-
pie. He believed also that Russia was
maneuvering TO annex a large portion of the
Chinese territory while Great Britain only
cared for the trade. Having been educated
by English teachers in an English colony,
his sympathies were naturally with the
British government and he was doubtless
in communication with the British minister
at Picking.
1t is scarcely probable that he would at
tempt to assassinate the Emperor, but it
would be natural for his enemies to make
this charge in order to get rid of him. Ac-
cording to the dispatches he received a tip
from the Emperor himself and got away be-
fore they could arrest him, evidently with
the assistance of the British minister.