The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1900-10-06
TIL TR IA IS 0 + CHINA
sssoLDES ND M as rs
al Is SO clETIES
Their ], ong Care ylessness md
Z Tracy Cause 81 tho Tai Ping Kebel-.ss
lion overnrnentS ana Ceren of
the Sect


. The Oldest and most III famous OF the
& many Chinese organiza tions Is the
Triad secret society, wv hIch, according
to late reports, is ia league with the
Boxers The origin Is SO remote that
the society's book OF rites contains the
statement that it has existed since the
found alton OF the earth. The society's
teachings are exalted to such an ex-z
tent that many seem to come boldly
out of the Sermon on the Mount. I'm
fortunately, however, their practice is
different from their teaching. IA more
disreputable organization was never
created to become a thorn In the flesh
Of all workers in the cause OF law and
order. ss$ {. 5s S39$,
About $50 years ago the Ming dynas-
ty was overthroWn by the [. Tartars.
Shortly after this event. the yTriads
recognized to oppose the Manchu con
querors. Since that time the league
has enjoyed a reputation for laWless-
ness unparalleled even in the history
of China. Its members spread over the
whole Of the far east Manila knew
them, to her sorrow. The Dutch col
onies suffered from their depredations.
At length, when the residents Of Man
lila had endured long enough the @out-
RACES of the society (Which had made
necessary many times, the calling out
of the garrison), members of the Triad
League We're by law forbidden to come
into the colony. The Dutch followed
the example of the Spanish without
loss of time. Thus; driven out from
their former happy hunting grounds,
the Triads looked for fresh fields. and
found them, as they supposed, in Sar-
awak. They descended, 1000 strong,
on the Malays, burned their houses,
seized their ships, and were about s. to
embark On what promised to be ca
reer of bloody piracy, when Rajah
Brooke appeared with force of Dyaks
and defeated them. Singapore has suf-
fered as severely. as any colony from
the outrages of this society, and more
than once the Triads have taken pos
ly suppressed in 1878, but practically
existed until a much later time. In
Hongkong they were from the :founda-
ton of the colony forbidden to enter,
but they have from time to time crept
in, and have required the full force of
the law: before they could be re-
strained. II = X ~ 4 a. --+21ss2sf3
There is practically no doubt that
the TAPPING rebellion was due to the
Triads. About the time of the instiga-
ton of the rebellion the Triads had so
openly opposed the government that
armed resistance was the only course
open to them. 4 T hey were then as law
less a band as at any period or their
history, but the leader OF. the revolt,
Hung Sau 5Tsun, obtained some knowl-
edge of christianity, and endeavored
to purify the society and to urge the
establishment of a dynasty that would
rule according to the high principles of
Jesus and Confucius King of the
Heavenly Kingdom of Universal
Peace was the title he gave himself.
To the standard focked enthusiasts
and malcontents of all classes; to pre-
vent desertion these were branded on
the cheek with the words tai Ping"
But the good resolutions Of the leader
came to naught, as. history tells, The
morals Of his followers and the ill
success Of his armies disheartened
him. He became crazed, and the com
ing Of Gen. Gordon to command the
Chinese army completed the overthrow
Of the rebellion. -. III
The society is governed by five grand
| masters, equal to one another in power,
The lodges are ruled by subordinate
masters, whose power is absolute.
Members are required to take. an oath
Of implicit obedience; they also prom
Use to support one another,ev even against
the law. Members are known to fell
low members by an elaborate system
/ of signs. Il These are so many and ex-
press such different meanings that
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