The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1900-06-18
PHENOMENAL SUCCESS.

Leung Chi-tsos success has become
phenomenal Starting in a somewhat
obscure manner here, his influence has
spread till he has aroused a pitch of
enthusiasm which has never before
been reached by any of his country
men here, nor indeed by any of his
countrymen in any part of the Western
world on any previous occasion. This
is the more surprising as Mr.. Leung
only speaks his own vernacular, and is
acquainted with Western thought
through translations.
Though a young man he has man
aged to cram good deal of respon-
sibility and adventure into his life,
finally only escaping from the blood
thirsty empress through the assistance
of the Japanese Ambassador in Peking,
and reaching Japan on board a Jap
anese man of war. He is now Jap
anese subject, and has adopted the adj
Yanced style. Indeed it is hard to dis
tinguish him from any ordinary Jap
anese gentleman.
Honolulu has been stirred by Mr..
Leung's eloquence, but the excitement
men, save that the newspapers watched
his career and reported his progress,
giving sketches of his life, and stating
his views, and keeping other national
titles informed as to what the objects of
the reformer and his adherents were.
This has served to keep up interest
among others outside of the Chinese.
But the Island of Kauai has been
reused to an enthusiasm over Leung
Chi-tso which is simply surprising. Not
only did the Chinese unite to honor him,
but the whites, Hawaiians and Japan
ese were quite enthusiastic over the re-
former and listened to translations of
his addresses and even joined his So
ciety. This is truly remarkable and
shows how the movement is spreading,
and what interest is taken in it here.
1t is fortunate that this is Territory
of the United States where a man is
free to express his views on social, reli-
gious or political questions with per-
feet safety. Had this remained a
weak monarchy or a weak republic
pressure from China would have been
brought to bear, no matter how much
we might have resented it, and Mr..
Leungs propaganda might have been
seriously interfered with, while he, him
self, might have stood in considerable
danger.
The progress of Mr.. Leung is of in
terest to the student of current events.
1t is a pointer to the future of China.
We of the west have always regarded
China as ultra conservative, as incap-
able of progressive reform in the man
ner that Japan has reformed and
changed. But Mr.. Leung shows us that
it is not so, that there is a large, and
ever increasing class which has studied
Western development and is willing to
accept it. Japan has proved an object
lesson. Fifty years ago Japan was far
more isolated than China. Now it is a
world power, standing on an equality
with the rest of the world, with for
midable fleet, and quite formidable
power No one talks of Remembering
Japan, as they talk of Remembering
China. The war in which China suffer-
ed defeat sufficed to open the eyes of
many Chinese, and so did the war with
French.
The reform movement may even save
the ACKNOWLEDGMENT of China. If the
Manchu influence can be removed, the
patriotic Chinese might establish a
form of government which would be
accepted and respected by the foreign
powers. That this reform movement
should meet with favor among the Chi
nese who live here is not to be wonder
ed at. But it is also accepted in large
extent by the whole of Southern China.
The strong hold of Chinese conserva-
tism and misgovernment lies in the
North, where the Manchu influence is
the strongest. The propaganda here
Will result in material aid being given
TO the revolutionists in the South, and
In the event Of success, many young
Chinese, trained here would return to
China and take a prominent part in
pushing reform and in elevating their
fellow countrymen.