November 12, 1898)]
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befriend Hong end his fugitive family in this instance, it would have been a case of base in gratitude.
*** Ho Tung-should know that recommending Mr. Timothy Richards' works for the special study of Emperor Kwang Su is not acknow. ledging indebtedness for plagiarism, or anything near it.
Will Ho Tung be good enough to explain the true meaning and intent of Hong Yau-wei's “Council of Ten P" Can he honestly say that this was not a selfish party move? Were these ten Chinese scholars qualified to advise the young and enthusiastic but unfortunate Emperor I say they led him to the brink of the precipice over which he fell. Contradict this who dare. What good can we expect from Chinese scholars No matter how enlightened they are, they are positively unfit to shape the destinies of the Empire at this stage of its awakening. Let us fake Japan for example. Who reformed and guided that fortunate and wonderful little country but those pioneers of progress who went abroad to study in Western countries ? The same applies to the Chinese Empire. It is an unalterable law of progressive civilization. We have plenty of qualified and capable men in China and in Foreign countries, but the Govern ment, sad to say, appears unwilling or unable to follow in Japan's footsteps by utilizing the services of these men.-Yours truly,
THE MODERN TRUTH FINDER. Canton, 4th November, 1898.
CONSISTENCY. IS A JEWEL"
MR. HO TUNG ON HIS DEFENCE.
THE FAMOUS CANTON REFORMER, KANG YAU-WEI.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE DAILY PRESS.
DEAR SIR,-It is a thousand pities that such momentous question now known the world over as that of the Kang Yau-wei Reform Movement, involving as it does the destiny of an Empire, should be allowed to degenerate into a personal attack. This is the conviction that has been forced upon me from a perusal of what purports to be a traverse by The Modern Truth Finder" of my defence of Kang, published in the Daily Press of the 8th instant. The successful struggle, so long and so vigorously waged, for a British free press has resulted in the establishment of that most glorious institu- tion with its fundamental principle, viz., the eschewing of personal matters in the discus- sion of public questions. This is one of the grandest traditions so happily maintained by the enlightened modern British Press. Under- standing as I do the benefits underlying so liberal an institution it becomes all the more regretful that I have to trespass on the space of the local press with certain personal explana. tions against the insinuations of the anonymous "Truth Finder."..
In the first place, the offensive sarcasm which the writer alluded to so boldly attributes to Kang Yau-wei in his letter of 21st October, 1898, is made so plainly one of his own short- comings at his own expense that it may be well to remind him of the good old saying that "people with glass roofs should not throw
stones."
There is no attempt on my part at belauding the efforts and qualities of a man whose con- sistent but unfortunately unsuccessful policy was only to render his country free from the yoke of a backward and unprogressive
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT. between the Reformer and myself. There is absolutely no truth in the charge, and no one probably knows better than "Truth Finder" himself that
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an attack, or else he would not have appeared in public print under an assumed name. The paragraph which appeared in the China Mail of Wednesday, the 2nd instant, sufficiently explains my relations with Kang. We will not presume that "Truth Finder" will go quite so far as to say that the respon- sible management of this creditable journal was also actuated by motives of pecuniary gain when the paragraph in question was penned in the editorial sanctum. The writer's character and intention being therefore above board, I have the support of an ostensibly independent journal to say that in befriending Kang and his family in their hour of need nothing but a purely honest motive prompted the action.
Thus much for the personal aspect of the question. Now to come to the charges against Kang. There has been a studious avoidance on the part of the "Truth Finder" to endeavour to uphold the various indictments he has drawn up. We are yet to be enlightened as to Kang having intentionally appropriated the writings of others and represented them as those of himself. I am quite aware that, in the recommendation of Mr. Timothy Richards' works there was no defence for plagiarism; but what I wished to make clear was that had Kang been influenced by vaingloriousness he could without difficulty have so rendered in an altered form the writing of Mr. Richards as to present them as his own, and so consistently perpetuated the offence of an habitual plagiarist which we have heard laid at his door.
thecould not support such and salutary and that would not have been
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will quote what is said in the issue that paper of the 31st October :-"There is not one of these proposed reforms that is not both practicable for the benefit of the people. They were only dangerous to the ignorant and greedy Manchus and the equally ignorant and corrupt old Chinese officials to whom the collapse of China is due; and there is not one of them as far as they are published that is not full of ad- vantage to the State. There is no foundation for the excuses made for the usarping Empress Dowager and that as far as the facts show the charges made against the Emperor and his friends are baseless!"
"Truth Finder". into an admission of the fact that the Empire of unconsciously let himself China has now arrived at a stage of its awaken- ing. What has thus far been accomplished is largely due to the influence exercised by Kang Yau-wei and his few patriotic colleagues pre- viously to the Emperor's dethronement. Every action since then has been but the thin end of the wedge to set back the forward movement of reform.
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Much as one would feel inclined to give the Truth Finder" the credit for originality one cannot help arriving at the conclusion that the idea of the utilization of Chinese trained abroad is borrowed from the scheme of the Chinese Education Commission of 1872, pro- posed and carried into effect by Yung Wing. As it will be remembered, I emphasized the fact that Kang was in favour of the employ- ment of the Westernized Chinese, and if the latter had failed to attain the posts of greater distinction, the Conservative party whose cause is virtually espoused by Truth Finder" alone to blame. I am inclined to bring this letter to a close by a quotation from Dr. Williams in his “Middle Kingdom." I find the following hope- fat and pertinent remark with regard to the subject under discussion. In giving tho
As regards the "Council of Ton" which I am asked to explain, I will say in the first instance that I have not seen nor have my investigations brought to light any Imperial Ediet nominating such a council Nor, as far as my knowledge goes, has there been any published memorial re commending it. The names which have already appeared in the local newspapers of the persons published by the Sinwenpao (a Shanghai Chi- supposed to compose this Council, were first
correspondent of the North China Herald nese newspaper), while those given by the native differ but slightly from the original list. Assuming that the Council did really exist and that its formation by: Kang, I will say that it could not but was recommended have had its origin from an undoubtedly honest intention to provide what may be termed views, "who were to have assembled daily in the a cabinet of reliable officials with progressive Maoching Throne Hall to advise the Emperor on reform measures." If they were intended to supersede the Conservative party under whose regime China has never issued forth from formation of such a Council was amply justi- its thraldom of a bygone age, I say that the fiable. I will go further to say that under the old regime China has the indebtedness of with all its concomitant evils. Her humiliation the terrible defeat in the recent Japan war has been such as to deeply impress upon the pages of her history a very dark blot requiring years of well-directed efforts and energy to so-called "cession" of its boasted stronghold in erase. China owes further to the old party the Port Arthur. China has to thank the same the "temporary occupation" of Kwongchauwan. party also for the "lease" of Kiaochau and for Had it not been for the fact that the timely and I should say providential interposition of Eu the Conservative party would be complete by ropean international jealousy,
of that eminent sinologue I feel constrrds
Ed
re-
sult of life-long and patient study afforded in the minds of intelligent men through the length a matter which at the present time is exercising
great fact must have become apparent, even to and breadth of the Chinese Empire :— Th the cursory reader, that in the Chinese charao ter are elements which in due time must lift which she has fallen, and raise her to a rank her out of the terribly backward position into among the foremost of nations.” There is a basis of encouragement when we keep in mind their early attention to obtaining a corps of the literary institutions of the country and scientific men of their own nationality faithfully,
and
Yours
HỌ TỪNG. Hongkong, 9th November, 1898.
MR. HO TUNG AND KANG YU-WEI,
-}
TO THE EDITOR OF THE “DAILY PRESS.
DEAR SIR,—As one who has given much and social reform in China, I request that you will deep attention to the matter of political and kindly insert the following lines in reference to certain letters that have appeared recently in the local papers. Some time ago, there ap- Finder," and following these came several from peared gome letters signed “Modern Truth our respected citizen Mr. Ho Tung. Dich faise assumptions, and in his last laid charges Truth Finder" in his letters has made, many as the door of one" the latchet he was not fit to fasten.
whose shoes The recent sotion
Modern
Government. My defence of Kang was called our witnessing long ere the hina's debt to Mr. Ho Taug must commend itself to all who
for when I saw the advocate of Reform, probably distasteful to many, slandered without Just cause and only on presumptive evidence. There was no sinister motive on my part to take up the gauntlet in behalf of one for whose re- markable ability and indefatigable zeal for the 1 canse of his country I have a sincere admira
tion.
The flimsy fabric which the “ Truth Finder a has constructed his letter upon is never more revident than when he accuses me of venalty, such as, in his own words, the pulling of concession strings" in conjunction with Kang I challenge the production of any evidence, doonmentary or otherwise, either from Truth Finder" or any one else, that could lead came to suspect that there was any such collugion
tion of that portion of the Flowery Land worth possessing under the designation of a 99 year leasehold, or another way of expressing the modern diplomatic term for "land grabbing."
have the truest and best interest of China at younger and educated portion of our race that entire absorp-heart. There is a growing feeling in the China shall one day be lifted from the stagnant condition into which she has sunk by so many "Truth Finder" doubts the qualification of the is with pleasure we hail the efforts of a gentle. years of misrule, corruption, and treachery.* It "Council of Ten" for the performance of the man like Mr. Ho Tung in seeking to repair this task it was intended to impose upon them. lamentable state of affairs, and I am sure that This is purely a matter of opinion, and as such I am only echoing the views of many of my admits of no reasonable discussion. At any compatriots in saying that we agree with him rate, it is safe to say that they were not allowed in all his plain, honest, and outspoken" senti- a practical test before the hand of jealousy catments as regards the reform in the great Em- short their blossoming career. And it is also pire of China.eterm safe to say that no more grave blunders could Allow me here to say that the imputations have been perpetrated than those which per-made against Mr. Ho Tung by " Moder mitted the consummation of the realities Finder" as regards his seeking enumerated above. On the authority of the and emolument are, as most of us generally well-informed North China Heráld. I uncalled for and not in the least
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