The National tribune., 1900-06-28
An Emprass,s ResoIxe.

Er-Ahache in Washington Post.
1t cannot be denied that for more than
half a century past China has been sub
jected to a degree of indignity, insult. ex-
tortion, and bullying OH the part OF for
eign powers, which no Christian power
would have tolerated. Treaties have been
imposed upon her by force. her finest har-
bors seized, and vast stretches of her
littoral successfully placed under foreign
rule. She has been compelled to consent
to agreements providing for the transfer
of her immense river trade to foreign
flags, and for the gridirOning of the en-
tire land by means of foreign built and
foreign controlled railroads, while for
every concession made by her dozen
new ones have been presented by the for
eign powers.
At length exasperated beyond endur-
ance and driven to the wall. the Empress
issued in December last an edict addressed
TO the yiceroys of the various Provinces.
The foreign powers cast upon lis looks
of tigeF-like voracity, hUstling each other
In their endeavors 10 be the first to seize
upon our innermost territories" she de
clared. ''They fail to understand that
there are certain things which this en-
pire can never consent to do, and that
il hard pressed we have 10 alternative
but TO rely upon the justice of our cause"
Four weeks later another edict was dis
patched To the same officials by the Dow
spread belief in the Orient. has English
or American blood in her veins. her moth
er having been an Eurasian. or child of n
white father and Manchu mother. In this
second cdict the yiceroys were warned to
exercise n prudent discrimination toward
the disturber5 of public peace. The reck-
less fellows, who band together and ere
ate riot on the pretext of securing the in
angrratiOn of reforms, were to be pun
ished. while those loyal subjects who learn
gymaastic drill for the protection of their
families and their country" that is to say
the members of the Righteous Harmony
Fists Association" were to he favored.
This was the first heard of the o-called
Boxers" openly a society for the cultiYa-
tion of gymnastics, secretly an Gnti-for-
eisn political movement, something like
those Turn Fereine," or gymnastic socie-
ties which played so important political
role in Germany at the beginning of the
present century, becoming one of the most
important factors in she liberation of the
Fathcfland from the presence of the
French invader
From that time forth the so-callel
'.BoAers' We're more or less openly en-
ccuiased by the Empress. They became
means cf union among all the various
secret societies. and If today these socie-
tics in all parts of the immense Chinese
Empire are simultaneously taking to arms
Ia cNpcl the foreigners, il is due to the
thus M the close OF the 18th century emu
laGng the role played nearly 100 years
ago b. Queen Louise in Prussia. when she
rouSed her countrymcn to rid Germany OF
the thrald0m of Napoleon.
II is by no means certain that either n
Russian or a Japanese invasion of China
would suffice TO quell the anti-foreign
movement. The forces that would con
front an invading army are too great
the empire too vast in extent, the popu,
l8tiGn too colossal.
That thrTe may have been sympathy
on the part OF the Dowager Empress fol
RnsSia in the past is quite probable, fol
she must have observed that the Musco
vite empire is the only foreign power
whose policy never wavers and always
IugSrcs the same aim until it attains it
sometimes only after the lapse of MANY
years. But she has now, according TO al
appearances. cut herself adrift from hel
MrScovitc cntanglements, realizing thai
Russia is mere rayenouS than any Other
foreign power for Chinese territory anc
constitutes more serious peril to the integ
rity and independence Of the Empire thar
any other nation.
Chinese alone, and by cleverly- appealin,
to their love for their native land, anC
above all 10 their fierce and fanatic alb
horrence Of the foreigner. may be said IL
haye welded hcr 100, 100000 countrymer
Into a colossal force that ma longer con
ktitntcs the danger, but the support of the
throne. with the watchword Of China fol
the Chinese