Washington sentinel., 1900-06-23
Yellow Peril orthe EAsr.

China is honeVcombed as no other
country in the world, with secret socie-
ties, embracing all classes, having an
century OF the Christian eTa-an exist.
ence not Of tradition, but vouched for
by record. They are diverse in the
elements Of which they are composed
in their rules and practices, although
most ofthem, especially the Triad, which
is the most important of them all, have
such extraordinary analogy with
Western Free Masonry as to imply a
community OF origin, The symbols and
tenets are the same, the ceremonies Cf
initiation are similar. the test questions
bear close resemblance thereto, and,
in fact. the only foreigner who ever
obtained admission TO the Trad, viz,
an Englishman OF the name Of Mason,
achieved this feat on the strength Of his
belonging to the higher grades Of the
Scottish Rite of Free Masonry.
Originally, form OF Oriental mystic
ism, founded on moral and genealogical
theories, these societies became political
factors toward the seventeenth century
OF our era, and until year or so ago
had IN view as their principal object the
overthrow of the Manchu or Tartar
dynasty, and as watchW ord "China for
the.Chinese." The TAPPING rebellion Of
forty or fifty years ago was fostered and
promoted by the Triad and came near
overihrowing the Pskin Government.
which it could doubtless have accom-
plished had il e.ioYed the cooperation
OF the other secret societies,
Today the meaning OF the watchword
Of the various secret societies, namely,
"China for the Chinese" is changed.
For the aim is no longer anti dynsstic.
nor do they seek the expulsion OF those
ten or twelve million Msnchus, who for
the past 400 years have imposed them
selves as the ruling class over 100000, 900
Chinese, compelling them to adopt the
Manchu style OF hairdress, namely. a
| pigtail in token of subsection. Today
the secret societies have for their object
the expulsion of the foreigner from the
land. 1t Is a mistake to believe that
John Chinaman is a stranger to patriot
ism. Indeed. so passionately devoted
is he to his native country that he makes
arrangements for the return OF his bones
to the Flowery Kingdom in the event OF
bis dying in foreign lands. This fiber
Of patriotism has been utilized by that
extraordinarily clever woman. the
Dowsger Empress, to rally the entire
nation into the presentation OF a Virtu-
ally united front to the foreigner, to
convert the secret societies from anti
dYnastic into anti foreign movements.
and to achieve that which the Triad
sought In vain to briuE about at the
time Of the TAPPING rebellion, namely.
cooperation OF all secret societies one
with another against the common foe,
which this time is not the Manchu, but
the white foreigner.
It cannot be denied that for more than
half century past China has been
subjected to degree Of indignitY, insult,
extortion, and bullying on the part oi
ioreign which no Christian power would
have tolerated. Treaties have been
imposed upon ner by force, her finest
haTboTs seized, and vast stretches oEheI
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, aud for the grldironing Of tn,
entire land by means Of foreign bull
and foreign controlled railroads, Will,
for every concession made py her
dozen new ones have been presented b
the foreign powers. At length exasper
} ated beyond endurance and driven (
the wall, the Empress issued in Decem
Der last an edict addressed to tn
: vIeeroys OF the various provinces.
THE foreign powers cast upon &
. looks OFFICER like voracity, hustling eac
other in their endeavors TO be the FIR,
: to seize upon our innermos, territories,
Z she declared. "They fail to understar
u that there are certain things which tn
n empire can never consent to do, ar
, that II hard pressed we have no altern
d tive but to rely upon the justice Of o
', cause"
Ia -Four weeks later another edict "
st dispatched t9sthe same officials by I
ADOwager spress, who, according