The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1900-01-01
LEUNG CHI-TsO COMPANION OF
KwANG YU WEI.
One of the Daring Reformers Who Had
Almost Overturned the Medievalism
of the Chinese Empire.

Leung Chi-tso who with Kwang Yu
Wei was one of the most prominent
leaders of the reform party in China, is
in Honolulu. He arrived yesterday
from Yokohama by the Hong Kong
Maru.
Leung Chi-tso is one of the thirty re-
form leaders who for about three
months, something more than a year
ago, through their influence with the
Chinese Emperor, secured that start
ling series of reform edicts which were
intended to revolutionze the ancient
governmental, educational and indus
trial systems of the Chinese Empire.
He is one of the thirty leaders, who,
when the Empress Dowager made her
NapOleonic coup and seized the reins
of empire, paid for their daring efforts
at reform with their heads. their lib
erty or their fatherland. He was the
close friend and companion of Kwang
Yu Wei whose romantic and almost mi
raculous escape from the reaCtionary
element, which came into power with
the Empress coup, was written about
in newspapers and magazines from one
end of the world to the other
Leung Chi-tso, like most of the other
reformers is a young man who made
his way through the Chinese education
al system of competitive examinations
to the degree of Master of Arts and the
rank and title of Private Adviser to the
EIllpIGSS. his NOTk IOI Ine REFORM
movement began with the editorship of
the See Mu Pao," or "Chinese Prog
ress" published at Shanghai, and de-
voted to the reform propaganda. With
the accession of the Emperor to the re-
form movement Leung Chi-tso was
called to Peking and took an active part
in Formulating the edicts and inaugural
ing the measures of the brief reform pc
riod preceding the Empress return to
active administration of power. When
the reaction came and with it the san
culinary acts which sent some of the
best men of China to the block, others
into exile and still others into prison,
Leung Chi-tso succeeded in escaping 10
Yokohama Despairing of opportunity
to return to China he became naturaliz-
ed as a subject of the Emperor of Jap
an. He has adopted the japanese meth
cd of wearing his hair and dresses in
the European style as that style is in
vogue in japan. In fact he looks very
much like a Japanese of the better
class and might readily be mistaken for
one His appearance now is in marked
contrast with his appearance a ye>r
ago as shown by his photographs when
he appeared in Mandarin dress with
queue and shaved head.
AS Japanese subject he has adouted
the Japanese name, Kasuabala. He is
now the editor of the "Ching Yee Pao'
or Chinese Discussion published al
Yokohama and devoted to the effort OF
reiuvenatinF China. He is now on a
tour of the Chinese colonies throughout
/ the world in the effort of unifying anC
solidifying the various reform societies
and movements among the Chinese ir
one movement for the advancement OF
/ China. He expects to remain here abou
/ month and will then go to San Fran
cisco. New York and Washington. He
brings with him letters of introduction
and recommendation to the japanese
Consul General from Count Okuma, for
mer japanese Minister of Foreign AT
/ fairs and from Count Kato former
Japanese Minister to England. He was
received yesterday by the Japanes,
/ Vice Consul and will be received TO-
morrow by the Consul General.
"The hope and objects of the reform
party" said Leung Chi-tsO, "are t.
/ awaken the Chinese people from theil
medieval sleep; to Great national an'
! patriotic spirit among them; to bring
| them into touch with the progress o
| the world and with European civiliza
! tion. We want to reform the educa
! tional system which is now in tn,
chains of ancient custom and obsolete
| learning and introduce modern science
and occidental learning. We want t
! reform the government and introduce
! honesty and efIicincey. We want to re
! form the system of revenue and taxa
I ton ana the metnOdS OF ulSpuISlIlB ldN
es. We want to bring the Chinese peo
pie up to the plane of their capacit!
and abreast of the world, and max
! China one Of the great empires of tn
| earth.
"The strength of the reform move
ment is in the provinces nearest th
Pacific ocean where the people hav,
felt the influence Of western civiliza
tion and seen its progressive character
In proportion as provinces are distan
from this influence the reform move
ment is weak. There is hope for China
there is hope for the Chinese people
| China Is a slumbering giant which
needs only to be awakened to take IL
part in the great deeds and in the prog
ress of these modern times"
Leung Chi-tso has been warmly greet
ed by scores of his cOmpatriots resi-
| dent here who share his hopes and hi
political views. He is a guest at tn
! Arlington Hotel where his room is
Mecca for the reform element of tn
/ local Chinese colony.