Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1898-12-31
CHINESE WAKING UP.
Clubs md Organizations for the De-
fense OF the Empire Dc-
IA Ing Formed.

IA
The English are great on clubs, but
The Chinese can beat them in that line.
Since the war with Japan the breaking
out of clubs has taken the form of an
epidemic. OF the more ephemeral or
CaniZations, the most noted was the
Reform club, which gave umbrage to
khe government and FASTENED It's own
death by demanding a free constitution
and an elective parliament. Another
Horned about the same time still exists
nnder the curious title of a School for
Shame. Its prime object is to excite
q proper state of feeling in view of
Chinas humiliation at the hands OF
her neighbors, beginning with the
aslanders on the east.
A more formidable society is now
looming on the verge of the future. 1t
bears the name of Pao-kuo-hui or Pa
triotic association. The account of lis
origin, MS given by one of its members,
is as follows: A squad Of German sol
ldiers having made their way to Kaomi,
"a town adjacent to Kiao-Chou, some of
them entered the Temple of Confucius,
tbroke off an arm of the sage and carried
IL away ms a trophy, destined to figure
An Berlin museum. This was more
than Chinese pride could stand. The
story was industriously circulated
hmong the scholars of the empire as
bembled for the triennial metropolitan
denominations. Rushing together like
Ahe klversmiths of Ephesus, they an
bounced that their religion was in dam
ker, not from missionaries, but from
the vandalism of German soldiers. The
CREASED cartridges which lighted the
ares of the great mutiny in India be"
pause they were supposed to be de-
Agned to break down the native castes
were not quicker In arousing popular
indignation than this broken arm of
Gonfucius.
A petition to the throne was drawn
? iup, in which the signers pledged their
hives, fortunes and sacred honor to aid
In sweeping the country of its foes.
Y THE next step was to organize, and this
Stus done by the adoption of q constitu-
Nion consisting of 30 articles and 20
lt-laws. The portentous document,
.owever, says nothing of the broken
arm Of oonfucius, who might now very
rudently wear the famous gown that
Id one sleeve shorter than the other,
but begins by saying: This patriotic
klub Is formed for the defense of the
Empire In view OF the fact that our ter
hatory isSdailS sliced away, the powers
III the government daily circumscribed,
And the people more and more OPP
pressed tby whom ~ In the second
ARTICLE it cites a decree issued shortly
after the late war, which calls on the
nation to prepare itself to avenge the
past and to safeguard the future, using
b Chinese classic phrase which might
haye been borrowed from Virgil's van
9uished bull, which lay on stony ground
And chewed the cud of bitterness until
: Pble to humble his adversary. The
! hree things. to be defended are "the
Z keGTitory the people and the religion" ("
One. OF the measures proposed was to
Institute in all meetings OF the central
and affiliated clubs system of preach
ing, confessedly borrowed from the
west. On this subject bylaw pre-
scribes that the texts for discourse
shall be confined to themes relating
10 the preservation Of the state, the re-
Mgion, the people and the race"
The race" referred to is not the
whole human race. but that portion OF
the yellow race, or that branch of 1T,
which fourishes on the mainland. The
Shlng to be sought with all diligence is
10 preserve it from contamination by
kntermixture with races of lighter
shade. This branch of the subject is
certain to offer unlimited scope for
alvttuperative eloquence Of the Chou
Hap type. Efforts are to be made TO
pxtend these clubs to every town and
hAmlet in the empire. Any wind is
better than n dead calm, but the ex-
kension of the& clubs is much more
likely to make a lively time for mis-
hionaries and their converts than it is
10 check the zeal of soldiers in quest
pf objects of antiquarian interest,"
North China Herald.