The Red Cloud chief., 1900-11-23

which has 80 long overridden and over
borne three huadred millions Of Chinese.
He would abolish age-long abuses. He
would institute reforms that might place
him on a level with the civilized ma
tons of the world. IL he succeeds, the
China Of the future will call him blessed.
N he fails he will die the death Of a
traitor. What says the old poet?-
Treason doth never prosper. what's the rea.
SOM
For when II prospers none dare call Il treason.
10 Americans Sun va Sen is especially
Interesting, because he lived among
Americans Of the Pacific coast for Ave
years. and because he has enlisted the
purse and the arm of many Americans in
mis- service.
Sun Vat Sen Is a native OF Canton. lie
studied medicine In that city under an
English physician. and later practised his
pro ssion In Honolulu. While there his
attention was drawn to the doctrines OF
the Young China party. whose aim was
TO overthrow the Manchu dynasty and
give a constitution to emma. He became
an enthusiastic convert to these doc
trtnes Returning to China. ne soon rose
to be q leader among the revoiutionaries.
His headquarters were at Hongkong
Hither he drew a number Of Chinese from
the province OF Canton with the object
or organizing a conspiracy. The vfceroy
OF Canton was first to he captured. The
entire ~roVince was to be overrun. Can.
ton freed. 1t was to be used as a base of
operations To clear the whole Of China
fiom Its conauerors and raise a new and
free country on the ruins of the old des-
potisn.
Before he could strike a blow the plot
was discovered by the viceroy. Sun Vat
Sen and some thirty or forty of the CON
spirators were arrested while travelling
through the province secretly enlIsting
patriots. Fifteen were summarily put to
death. In some manner never yet known
Sun escaped and made his way to SAN
Francisco. This was five years ago.
In San Francisco he made the acquaint-
ance OF a brilliant young Chinese, the
editor and publisher of a Chinese paper,
Sun converted him to his way Of thinking.
The paper at once became a power in
spreading arguments In favor OF the
emancipation of China. Sun Vat Sen
went OH to other cities in the United
states. Everygrc' e lac stir ii The Ch.hese
10 ala his cause. Among his converts
were many Chinese graduates of Yale and
Harvard. At last he went to England.
1t Is supposed his purpose was to inter-
est the English foreign Office In his
scheme. in order that they might thus
combat the influence which the Russians
exercised In China through the closeness
OF their relations with The Tartar n 'ers.
There had been a price upon his head
ever since the discovery of the plot
against the viceroy of Canton. One day
while passing the Chinese embassy In
London he was accosted by two China
400, Frl... Il L.
building. with which he was unfamiliar.
There an elderly Englishman. who, he
afterwards learned, was Sir Halliday
Mccartney. the longtime English secre-
tary OF the Chinese legation, placed his
hand upon him and said. "You are now
in China"
He added that Sun would be detained
and sent secretly TO China. Sun had
already made many friends. who had I'm.
huence with the British foreign office.
As soon as he disappeared they suspected
the cause, and set a watch upon the peo-
pie OF the Chinese minister and the people
of the legation. The premises meanwhile
were carefully guarded so that no one
could be removed surreptitiously. Under
international usages the British govern
I ment was powerless to search the en-.
bassy. Not until It was discovered that
the Chinese minister was chartering a
ship for China were the friends OF Sun
positive as to his whereabouts.
As he had become a British subject dur
Ing his residence at Hon..xony. ris re-
lease was readily effected. Sir Halliday
himself shaking hands with the refermer
when they parted.
For the mex two years he spent the
greater part OF his time I'm the larger
cities OF the United States aud Canada,
In the Pacific islands, In Singapore. Ma
Gao and Japan-wherever. In short. Chi
nese were to be found In any humber. In
the meantime Kwang-Yu-wet. the great
reformer. had reached the ear of the
emperor, who, though q Tartar himself,
saw that the continuance of his dynasty
depended on his yielding to the demands
OF the more progressive Chinese and put
ting China on a footing of equality with
other nations by developing schools, free
papers. commerce and mechanical in
dustries.
Kwans Su Immediately began 10 put
these ideas In operation. The Chinese
people were delighted. The reformers
had gained their first victory. Then the
ruling Tartars and the ''literati." who
governed China. seeing that their offices
would soon be at an end, planned the
great coup whereby the empress dowager
dethroned the emperor. assumed supreme
control and banished all reformers.
Straightway the reform movement, which
before had been unorganized. was solidi-
fed into one great society, with head
quarters at Singapore and branches at
San Francisco and other important cities
with large Chinese populations. Millions
Of dollars In money were freely SUBJ
scribed for the cause. The purchase of
arms and supplies OF war was arranged
for.
Now that the allied forces have driven
the Tartars from Pekin, the reformers
have placed their men In the field. Over
twenty thousand OF them are under arms
at the city of Wei-Chaou. near Canton. in
such a position as to practically control
the situation there. The viceroy can de-
pend with certainty only on the few Man
chu and Tartar guards whom he has with
him. The bulk of his provincial forces
- 49, III