New-York tribune., 1917-07-22
Japanese Legation
At Peking Shields
Emperor's Tutor
K'ang Yu-wei Aided Hsun
in Restoring Boy to
Manchu Throne
lnu r,n.n.s, corr,spond.ntD

San Francisco, July 20.-0n the night
Of July 10 K'ang Yuwei escaped to the
japanese Legation at Peking, according
to the Toxic cables TO the japanese
papers here.
The fame Of K'ang was worldwide in
1898. He was the leader Of the reform
movement at the time. He was the
famous tutor TO the late Emperor
Kuang Hsu, who read the life Of Fred
erick the Great and other world leaders
under his tutorage, and was fired with
the noble aspiration Of giving birth to
q new China.
The young Emperor backed his tutor
K'ang with all the fire Of his young
enthusiasm. 1t resulted in a stream OF
reform edicts which astounded the
world. 1t drove the old Empress Dow
ager into Mysteries, and with little cere-
mony the old Buddha put her foot on 1t.
And K'ang had to flee out Of the coun-
try for his life.
1t was of this same famous K'ang
that the late Ii Hung-chang, then the
Viceroy at Nsnkin, wrote in his secret
diary in tho early summer Of 1898:
"The one-thought K'ang has gone.
Il is as | thought regarding
K'ang. | did not believe he had even
sufficient reason or wisdom to perceive
the avalanche that he was bringing
about his own head with the reform
wind he himself stirred up. He is gone
from Peking, and trust he has not
failed to perform that act which would
fittingly crown his work of the last few
years. | have no personal animosity
toward Yuwei, nor his memory; but
hope he has taken himself to other
spheres. where he may be OF some use
to K'ang and those about him. ! wish
his memory well, and If knew for GER
tain he was dead would make an offer
ing this very hour"
Years and years after the famous
Viceroy had passed into the Shadow
World K'ang Yuwei acted as one Of the
chief inspirations TO General Chang
Hsun In restoring the boy Emperor to
the throne Of the Ia Ching dynasty.
K'ana was at once the chief Of staff
and a mental cocktail to Chang's mad
coup q claL OF scarce Week OF TWO
ago. And now that the imperial house
Of cards Is down once more, K'ang Is
cafe under the roof Of the Japanese
Legation at Peking.
What a strange boarding house that
japanese Legation Is for the ex-pa-
tliots Of China! Under 1t this very
day Is the ex-Pres!dent Ii Yuan-hung
And under the same roof is one of the
chief instruments CT his downfall-the
most ardent Of all the supporters Of
the imperial dreams OF the Manchus.
Baron Hayashi, the Japanese Minister
OF Peking, Is not likely to play host to
them at the same table and at the same
time. II would be exceedingly interest
ing II he. did
Meanwhile, nothing speaks more elo-
quently OF the undisputable ascendency
Cf Japan's position in China than this
singular incident in the history Of
Peking politics. General Chang him
self was reported to have asked for
protection at the japanese Legation,
and was refused admittance, according
TO Toxic report come time ago.
Sun Yst-sen, bidding feverishly for
the support OF Nippon for the republi-
can cause of his South China, actually
threatened to go 10 the United States
for assistance if japan would decline
to afford It to him and his party.