The age-herald., 1900-06-19
THE MEANING AND
 ORIGIN OF BOXERS

Prof Headland of Pekin University in Harpers Weekly.
 The society called Boxers originated many years ago and is of a two-fold or perhaps a manifold character. It is part ly athletic, and partly moral and religious. As an athletic association it goes under the name of the Big Knife Society cTa Tao Hub and as a moral or religious so ciety under the name of Righteousness and Peace Fist. It is organized for the most part in the rural and village dis tricts and it is said by the officials, is for the mutual help and protection of the country people-help in times of famine and protection from their enemies, and in case of necessity against oppression of avariaous officicls.
 During the governorship of Vii Hsien there was constant trouble arising from thieves and robbers who were made such by the famine caused by the annual over flow of the Yellow River. This society was organized in it's present form with the consent and protection of the gov ernor and, it is said, with his own son as a member The governor gave them swords and constituted them sort of rural police, who were to protect the peo- pie against the famine brigands. About three years ago the Roman Catho- lie priests through the influence of the French minister, were given official rank corresponding to that of the various Chi nese officials-Viceroy, Governor, Taotai, etc.-and it was made obligatory upon the Chinese officials, when appointed to a new or leaving an old post, to call upon or send his card to the bishop or priest, while at the same time it put into the hands of the clergy no small power when they met an official, especially in cases of litigation. The Roman Catholic Christians were of ten oppressed by non-Christian members of their community, and a result the church appointed two of her priests to at tend to no other duties except the investi- gation of evidence in cases of litigation, and the conduct of such cases as they thought unjust before the official. The fact that they had official rank, and the other very important fact that they were foreigners, both added to their power, and they were thus able to meet the official not only on his own ground, but with the ad- ditional power of understanding foreign law. The Christians were therefore en- abled to obtain justice.
 But it is supposed by the Chinese that they sometimes obtained more than jus tice. and that the priest was more than a match for the official, and sometimes ob- tained a decision in favor of his clients when the decision should have been against them; however that may be, both officials and people began to develop a se- cret hatred for the foreigners and the Christians.
 About one year ago the Society of Boxers transformed themselves from keepers of the peace to band of marauders, robbing, murdering, pillaging, and footing all the Christian villages in Shantung. They made no distinction between Catholics and Pro- testants When they came to village they sought out the Christians, and made it their business to discover whether they had property or not. Where one had property and was influential they at first contented themselves with compelling the man to buy them off-that is, promising him protection in case he gave them certain amount of silver which in some eases amounted to 100 l50 or 200 ounces. Where they were poor they compelled them to give whatever they had, and in case of refusal they threatened to tear their houses down, leav- ing them shivering in the cold. The Roman Catholics were armed against them, and their churches were turned into forts or arsenals, and in one case at least regular pitched battle occurred
 Early last year Prince Yuan, the father of the heir-apparent and one of the most warlike of all the Princes of the imperial house, raised a corps of not less than 125o0 Manchus from twenty to thirty-five years of age as a special bodyguard of the Elm press Dowager. These he called the Glori- fled Tigers Corps, and it is reported on the authority of one of General Nieh's officers that not less than one-third of this com pany joined the ranks of the Boxers, and established a branch association in the suburbs of Pekin. This would readily &C., count for the proximity and strength of 1 the Boxers in the vicinity of Pekin at the present time.
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