The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-06-24

III ~ remained for the Boxers" to
IN bring the great. indoient, hslf-
asleep celestial empire to the
verge OF disintegration.
The crisis TN the orient, dreaded ana
avoided BY Europe for half a century,
has come NJ last As long as England.
Russia France and Germany could ad-
3,fs. ,hetr own uuarrels over the porti-
ton OF china by diplomatic makesniffs
tho Eastern question slnmbered But
az moment when the powers Interested
n China seem TO have been resting IN
se.f. satisfied complacency. the BoSers
suddenly spring into existence. declare
their purpose TO sweep the foreigners
into the sea- start a reign OF terror. COM
mel the lowers to land n handful OF SAIL
ors and marines-~and the crisis Is on
What or who are the 'BoxersT Who
organized them9 who Is their leader7
what is their mission? These questions
which have been asked all around the
globe. are answered In recent issue
OF the Chicago Tribune. The Boxers
n the youngest Of the great family OF
secret revolutionary societies that have
menaced European enterprise In the last
quarter OF century. IL was organized
In the province OF Shantung TO oppose
German aggression. The society. grew
rapidly In numbers and its influence
spread until today the great and denseiy
populated provinces Of Shantung, Honan
and pechii are completely under It's con-
troll Not only are these provinces In
Northern China practically under the
control and at the mercy Of the Box
ers." hut the society IL rapidly spreading
southwark. " hos already crossed the
Yangis. kiang river and outrages in the
southern provinces, whore French inter-
ests now predomnate, may be heard from
from any day.
But Il n in the province OF Pechili or
greatest danger exists. for In this prov
incc IN located poking. the capital and
center OF Chinese administration
The membership OF the Boxers society
L. made up OF coolies. river men, oilers.
pirates. bandits. ena criminals OF all
ciasses But their .ssders. although un-
known 10 the European 49, hortties In the
Ear East. are ur.uuestionablS men of abil-
nv and shrewdncas,
The Boxers NAV be considered as
simp'y a part and parcel Of the revolu-
tianary propaganda In China. The So
eieiy differs little from other societies
known Mt different times as the Society
of Heaven" the Heaven and Earth So
eiety," the "Triads," the BLACK Flags"
the "Teen,e brotherhood" the "Tea So
ciety," the Water Lilics." the Floods
or tbs "Vegetarianr
These societies and others with differ
ent names but similar purposes. have
Nakod constant war against the foreign
ers, They resent the presence OF Chris
tian missions aud commercial enterprises
alike. To them the engineer who sur
veys a railroad. the physician who comes
10 end AN epidemic and the missionarv
ere equally the ob5eo,s OF aversion and
the secret society viii murder the one
ss cheerfulls as tho other
Rfvoifs IN The Past.
Some OF the more notable instances Of
Rebellion and riot instigated by the Box
ers" and similar societies in the last few
years may be brady summarized AZ fol-
lavas.
February 4. 1881 Riots al Chinkiang; Brit
tsh consulate and foreigners houses
burned.
September ., iSSs-Insurrectlon In the
province OF Fukien
December. INSTRUMENTATION In the Amoor
district Of Manchuria, rebels seize town
OF ianpeitaan and defeat the imperial
troops.
December iSss~Massacre OF native Chris
tians at JangtuytSin and other places
MAY n iSai--Anti- European riots AZ WI
hu. much destruction 80 property. Brit
ish consulate wrecked. tho consul aht.
his wife barely escaping with their lives
June. 1881 Increased popular and anti
foreign agitation throughout China. The
secret societies become SO bold that the
foreign Legations unite In threat 10