The Washington herald., 1912-04-12

wares in every nook and corner Of the
Malay peninsula. visiting Chinese firms.
explaining the advantages Of his new
patent hook and eye or safety pin to
the admiring clerks, or the latest novel
ties from the United States. England, or
Japan. dealt in quite another sort OF
wares. winning adherents to the great
cause TO which he was devoted. TO when
his life and his fine talents have been a
complete sacrifice. And another thing:
To the influence OF DR.. Sun the Christian
missionaries are indebted for their safety
in time OF such turmoil throughout the
eighteen provinces
Nothing ever could persuade him of
the futility OF his efforts. Quietly in
sistent, without any display Of warmth
or enthusiasm, he brushed aside all OBJ
stacles. He was content TO pursue his
object, and he was convinced that he
would be successful. His career is the
last thing to suggest in either origin
or early advantages the miracle he has
achieved.
Born some forty-four years ago in
beniEhted Heung-Shan, Sun Vat Sen is
the son of a farmer who had become
converted to Christianity. Another
son had set Up as a merchant In Homo
lulu by the time Sun Vat Sen was I'm
the future revolutionary repaired to be
trained. He went first to an English
mission school and thence to q French
one, and finally studied at an Ameri-
can college in the Sandwich Islands.
Thus he acquired his fuency in speak
ing English.
Having gone back to his native land,
Sun Vat Sen resolved to be physician.
He spent hve years in hard study under
.
who handed him his diploma as the
first licentiate OF tine Hongkong Col
lege of Medicine for Chinese. As a
youth, returning 10 China with the idea
OF freedom imbibed with his Western
education, and seeing the miserable
conditions under which his fellows ex-
listed. he began to interest himself in
their welfare, and almost immediately
after graduating he identified himself
closely with the reform movement, be-
coming one OF the leaders of the or
ganiEation in Hongkong and Southern
China.
There was considerable dissatisfaction
with the administration OF Ii Hang
Chang, brother OF the Ii Hung Chang.
which grew in strength during the ad-
ministration of the peculiar Tan Chung
Lin. A small group OF educated young
men banded themselves together to work
for reform and emancipation, with Sun
Yat Sen at their head. He has remained
the leader Of the movement ever since.
The present revolt is the fourth with
which this most remarkable OF living
Cinnamon has connected himself
Sun Yat Sen Is described by one OF his
sympathizers as OF spare figure, without
the slouch which Is so frequently noticed
in Cinnamon. He is modest and ex-
tremeiy reserved. giving neither IN his
personal appearance nor in his speech
the impression of a leader Of men. His
influence Is not due to magnetism OF
manner or of character. Neither Is he
a power as an orator. His strength Is in
his amazing practical sense and his sim
cere and disinterested devotion TO his
country and his countrymen. In his ad-
dresses TO his fellows in the movement
for freedom he never employs the tricks
and gestures OF the practiced speaker.
He gives his audiences nothing more than
a somewhat long. wsll-reasoned. and
carefully matured statement OF China's
sufferfngs, adding his own proposals for
reform. All this is effective, explains
this sympathizer, because the Chlnafnan
Is not very emotional. One can do very
little by an appeal to his imagination.
His interest is in plain facts put in the
plalnest language. II often happens that
the speeches Of Sun Vat Sen are four
hours long yet his audiences seem never
to weary Of the tale Of the woes Of their
native land. ELANkUk-
tCOpgusht. iz2 By cou+ GO-ip syDdiztsl