The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-10-20
DE-. sun Yat Sen.

DR.. Sun Vat Sen, a slim little man
with the air of a scholar about him,
mas been a thorn in the flesh of the
Manchu dynasty for many years.
Since some time in the nineties there
has been a price on his head. but he
has slipped noiseless1y about the world
escaping the nNts of the imperial au-
thoritieS and always active about the
revolutionary Propaganda on which he
hopes some day to build the fuldllment
or his dream-a Chinese republic for
the Chinese. He was in New York as
recently as last spring
sun Vat Sen was educated in Homo
lutu, where his father was a Chinese
merchant of considerable means It
was while medical student in Hong
Kong that he was thrown in with
countless numbers of his fellow coun-
trymen who had returned to China
from all parts of the Western world
and had brought with them much of
the history and some of the spirit of
the popular goVernune nts in Canada
and the United States. Out of this eIe-
ment was formed the China Reform
Association, housed in Hongkong and
pack OF one of the most daring plots
IN the history Of the empire. And Sun
at Sen was credited with concefvfng
the conspiracy.
One morning in 1896 native chapel
keeper in one of the Christian missions
near the city gate at Canton received
note asking permission to store what
purported to be a large CONSIGNMENT
OF cement barrels on the mission s
premises. Unfortunately for the con-
splratorss uneasiness was already
abroad in the land, and Christians had
just been notified to remove their fam
lies to places of safety, so when the
missionary saw the note he scented
trouble and rushed it to the American
consul, who lost no time in getting
word to the viceroy. Meanwhile a
message had arrived with the reDOrt
that several thousand conspirators
were leaving Hongkong by boat to ar
rive in Canton the next morning.
Troops were called out who broke
open the barrels. to find that they CON
tanned ammunition of all sorts the
weapons Tor plan that included the
Staying of the mandarins and the call
10 an uprising of all the revolutionary
clubs and organizations in Canton. The
same troops met the incoming boat
from Hongkong, and a few of the
rebels on board were captured AS
soon as It was discovered that Sun Vat
Sen had devised all this trouble, a large
reward was offered for his capture.
alive or dead but he anticipated the
action and left the country unobserved
aboard steamer for the United States
He spent three months in san Fran
cisco and few knew who he was as he
moved about Chinatown talking things
over with the leaders of that world
presently the China Reform Associa-
ton began to appear in the form of
branches in every important Chinese
settlement in this country. Hundreds
wore the badges of the society in san
Francisco, but the prospectuses all
dwelt on the remarking of China by
peaceful means.
When Dr. Sun Vat Sens identity be-
came known in San Francisco he dis
appeared. He was next heard of in
London and in difficulties there. for e
was arrested and imprisoned in the
chinese legation. In behalf of the
Manchu dynasty an effort was actually
made to kidnap him and smuggle him
to China, where he would surely have
paid with his head the penalty for his
activity against the throne. He man
aged, however, to pass q letter out
from his place of Imprisonment, and
this fell into the hands of Lord Cur
ION, then undersecretary of state. DR.
Sun Yat Sen declared he was a British /
subject and the Marquis of Salisbury
was one of those who insisted upon
his release. The upshot of the matter
was that Sun Vat Sen did not 20 back
to China He was next heard of in
Japan, and in the early part of 1898
It was reported that he had at last fall
len into the hands of the Chinese i'm |
perialists and been condemned to |
death. New York Times.