Who's Who in China (3rd edition)/Yang Yung-t'ai

Mr. Yang Yung-tai

楊永泰字暢瘤

Mr. Yang Yung-t'ai was born at Mao-ming Hsien, Kuangtung province, in 1880. He received his education in the Canton High School and the Liang Kuang Preparatory School for students to be sent abroad. For a time he also attended the Law Department of the Peking Methodist University. He first came to public notice as editor of the Kuang-Nan Pao at Canton, an organ of the revolutionary thoughts. After the outbreak of the First Revolution, October 1911, Mr. Yang was elected a member of the Kuangtung Provisional Assembly and subsequently represented Kuangtung at the National Provisional Council in Narking. He was a Senator of the First Parliament which was convoked in April 1913 and dissolved by Yuan Shih-kai in January 1914. After the Second Revolution, in the summer of 1913, Mr. Yang in cooperation with Mr. Ku Chung-hsiu published the "Chin-I” Journal at Shanghai the object of which it was to oppose the absolute rule of Yuan Shih-kii. In 1915 Yuan launched his monarchical movement. Mr. Ku and Mr. Hsu Fu-lin started the Chung Hua Hsin Pao a daily paper at Shanghai. It was then considered the strongest anti-Yuan paper in China. In April 1916 the republican forces in Kuangtung and Kuangsi under the leadership of Ts'en Ch'un-hsun established a Military Council at Shao-ching, Kuangtung, as headquarters to direct operations against Yuan Shih-kai's forces that had been sent down to suppress the revolt started by General Tsai Ao in Yunnan. Mr. Yang joined this Council becoming Chief of the Financial Bureau. In June 1916 Yuan Shih-kui passed away. Li Yuan-hung becoming President convcked the First Parliament. Mr. Yang returned to Peking to assume his seat in the Senate. After the second dissolution of the First Parliament in June 1917, Mr. Yang went to Canton with other members and there they convoked the Extraordinary Parliament. A military government was then established with Dr. Sun Yat-sen being elected as Generalissimo. Mr. Yang gained his entrance to local politis at Canton in 1918 by supporting the Cheng-Hsueh-Hui faction headed by Ts'en Ch'un-hsuan, in the Parliament over the reorganization of the military government. He and his clique succeeded in getting the Parliament in May that year to replace the generalissimo with seven administrative directors, one of whom later chosen was Dr. Sun, others including Ts'en Ch'un-hsun and Lu Yung-ting, two Kuangsi militarists. Dr. Sun hal been opposed to the control of the military government by the southern militarists. But the reorganization gave the two leading militarists effective control of the situation at Canton. Subsequently Mr. Yang was appointed Commissioner of Finance. In May 1920 a conflict occurred between the Kuomingtang and the Cheng-Hsueh-Hui leaders as a result of which Sun Yat-sen and his associates were ousted. At once Mr. Yang was appointed Civil Governor of Kuangtung which position he held until October 1920 when the Kuangsi leaders were driven out of Canton in retire.nent until October 1922 when the First Parliament was reconvoked at Peking and he took up his seat in the Senate again. At the same time he was given the Second Class Paokuang Chiaho.