Mr. Lin Chang-ming.
林長民字宗孟
Mr. Lin Chang-ming was born at Ming Hon Hsien, Fukien in 1876. When he was a boy, he studied Chinese literature in a typical Confucian school. He commenced to study the English language in 1900. The subjects of foreign politics and law interested him very much. Mr. Lin went to Japan to study in 1902, and entered the Waseda University where he specialized in political science and economics. He studied in Japan for seven years. He returned to China in 1909 when there was a national movement for constitutional government, and when the Advising Council in Peking and provincial assemblies in the provinces had been established. Upon his arrival at his native province, Mr. Lin was made Chief Secretary of the Fukien Provincial Assembly. Shortly afterwards he became a controlling factor in the assembly and organized a political party. Owing to the conflict of old and new ideas, Mr. Lin was opposed strongly by the conservative members of Fukien gentry and had to leave his native
