The Washington herald., 1911-11-04
DR.. SUN THE BRAINS OF
THE CHINESE REBELLION

For years there has been a price on
the head Of DR.. Sun Yat-Sen. the leader
of the revolution in China. and people
have said that he dare not set foot in
that country. Yet, as a matter of fact,
he has spent most of his time there. The
reformer is graduate Of the Hongkong
Medical School, which was founded by
DR.. Camille. OF London, in 1877. Ever
since his youth he has been in the midst
of agitations looking to the freedom Of
hfs countrymen from the monarchical
yoke of the Manchu dynasty. His plans
were discovered for the first time in
1896. when he was arrested at the Chinese
legation in the Britikh metropolis. His
old tutor, DR.. Camille, brought about his
release. During his frequent trips to
his native land he had to use DISCUSSES,
but even so, he was suspected, and on
one occasion he had to spend six months
In one house, and. then had to be snug
gled out OF the country on board "a for
eign steamer.
DIR. Sun is absolutely fearless, and all
his energies have been bent upon edu-
eating his feilowmen at home and urging
them to throw on the hated tyranny.
was once more in Europe, most likely to
perfect all arrangements for the coun he
Is now engineering. He was known then
to say that the reformers were sure of
two-thirds of the imperial army, adding
significantly, THE world soon will hear
from u.s." ..a .. g., -.
The impression that great things were
in contemplation in China was curiously
confirmed last spring, when Scotland
Yard men were looking for the doctor.
SUM- Yat-Sen is a patriot In the purest
sense of the word. He wants to release
his countrymen from bondage. He wants
to see them free, but he hates the blood
shed that Is necessary to arrive at the
goal. He hoped until the last moment
that this would be avoided, The rule
of the empire in reality is in the hands
of the viceroys, who govern their own
provinces and come in touch with the
court at PekIn only to send there reports
and the money collected; that is, as much
of it as they deem necessary to send, the
lions share naturally going into their
own capacious pockets.
Each province of China actually enjoys
more freedom politically than any Of the
States Of the North American Union. DR..
Sun-Yat-Sen means to retain these func-
tionarles, but make them subject to a
strong president and give the people of
the entire country universal suffrage.
Otherwise, If his revolt is successful,
there would be no change in the actual
machinery of the government. A re-
form of the Chinese imperial court he
regards as altogether impossible. The
Emperor is a mere child. The regent his
uncle, is a weak man. Everything Is at
the mercy of intrigues between two dow
ager empresses.
To argue from all this that 1t is DR..
Sun-Yat-Sen's aim to be the first presi-
dent Of a Chinese republic were betray-
ing little knowledge of the mans true
character. He is modest and without
ambition in that direction. He might ac-
cept the presidency If it were forced
upon him, and If he were convinced
that such a step would be the only way
to secure the welfare of the country.
There is little doubt that the present
uprising is the strongest bid for free
dom yet undertaken in China, for Sun
Vat Sen is actually on the spot, inspiring
and directing 1t. In previous endeavors
the train always was fired too soon,
that is before he could reach the coun-
try. His presence this time, his strong
personality, his great powers OF persua-
sion, and his absolute loyalty to the
cause Is what makes this revolt so full
Of hope
DR.. Sun is only forty-nine years Of
age. He became true reformer soon
after he left the Catline College at
Hongkong and settled at Canton as a
qualified medical man. Realizing that
education alone would bring about the
coveted end, he began sending young
men to America and to Europe to alb
sorb Western ideas and views. Thus