The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1900-11-23

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IVY sill. But as a
rebel the Celes-
tial has always been very much of a
success. If ever the time was ripe for
rebellion according to Chinese notions
that time is the present. The enemy is
within the borders, the sacred city has
been invaded, and the court is in hid
Ing, shorn for the time of all military
strength. DR.. Sens uprising in the
south may or may not be the beginning
Of new order of things. 1t seems to
have its origin in the Young China
reform movement which set going the
wave Of feeling that indirectly plung-
ed the empire into its present straits.
The young emperor lAwang Su was
smitten with the reform fever, things
were carried to great lengths, and he
was deposed. The reformers were per-
secuted and the reactionary forces kept
at work until they ran against the
powers. But while the reformers were
active they scattered seed all over Chi
ma which could but bear fruit in hard
thinking and discomfort If not in re-
bellion. The Celestials have had a
craze for some years for studying west
ern ideas. While slow to act the Chi
nese are great dreamers.
The old reform programme outlined
by the followers of Kang Yu Wei was
very radical. In country like China
it could but raise tempest and 1t did.
The proposed changes were of kind
an enlightened ruler of progressive
people might resolve to work upon dur
ing the whole of a long reign. Kwang
by edicts. Any Chinaman could see at
glance that the result of obeying the
edicts would be to hand the country
over to foreign ways and influences at
single bound. There was power
enough lodged in the imperial clan to
smash the entire programme at blow.
The attempt to go further than that
and tear up the very seeds of reform
led to the Boxer crisis. The seeds We're
not destroyed. China has kept on
thinking, and with the empire in an
uproar the wonder is that rebellions
have not cropped out before. But the
Chinese are Slow The great TAPPING
and Mohammedan rebellions We're a
long time gathering Roadway, but they
lasted for years and involved between
them almost the whole empire.
The TAPPING rebellion had it's origin
In a grievance similar to that which in
spired the Boxers. The natives around
o%4
and glad to help on any movement
which would exterminate them. About
that time young Chinese enthusiast
named Hung claimed to have an inspi-
ration from heaven to lead rebellion
against the throne. AS usual, the au-
thorities were cautious about suppress
ing Hung, and he finally drew over to
his cause the famous Triad society.
Instead of sending an army to the
south to stamp out Hung and the Fri
ads the imperial government sent three
commissioners. These worthless were
afraid to clash with the people, and the
rebels captured several towns in the
vicinity of Canton. The Canton au
thorities set forth in appeals to Picking
the naked truth, which was that the
whole country swarmed with rebels
that the people had risen against the
central government and there was dan
ger that national troops and officials
would go over to Hung's standard.
After every capture of a place new
recruits fiocked to the rebel camps. A
carnival of plumber was begun, and il
order to tempt his followers with fresf
e booty Hung marched constantly int
new territory, moving northward to
ward the rich Yang-tse-Kiang valley
Imperial generals We're sent agains
the pretender, who assumed royal pow
ers and styled himself 1.-THE Sun o
Heaven" in contrast to the Legitimate
eSon of Heaven" the ruling emperor
but they failed to crush him.
Previous to this outbreak there hat
been mutterings of a storm directed
against the Mantchoo dynasty and In
tended to restore native rule. Hung
success gave courage to the real patr1
OTIS of the empire who wished to Gus
all foreigners, but love of plumber wa
the chief incentive to side with the rel
els. Three rich cities of the lower Yang
Use, 4OCuOW, WuCuduS anu AAAAAAAn
were carried in succession; then TO
lowed Nankin, the ancient capital Q
the empire. In Nankin Hung estat
lished a most corrupt court and az
pointed four kings to rule over the di1
ferent sections of his empire. His coul
creatures were as bad as himself, an
license was the order of the day.
lungs generals were men OF abilit
and conscience. They defended hill
against the imperial troops and ais
oyerran the northern provinces, marcel
ing nearly to Peking The ultimate fai
ure of the rebellion, which lasted ]
years, was nst due to the hostility
the Chinese masses nor to the courae
and energy of the imperial troops, b,
to the methods Of the pretender and b
civil underlings. They had no genil
for organizing government, and the
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