The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-10-08
AN EXODUS OF CHINAHEN
Members of the Bow Wong Society
Returning Home.
Their Object Supposed to De to
Firmly Re-estabIish KvyanG Hsu
Long-souEht Opportunity in the
Outcome of rhe Boxer Troubles.

A sudden exodus of Chinese to the land
of their birth has developed in the past
thirty days. Laundrymen who had been
located here for years have started on a
journey to the Celestial Kingdom. Their
mission is wrapped in mystery. and when
those who remain are questioned as - the
cause of the movement, they either deny
it or pass the question with the assertion
that China boys ALA time go home; that
be all light" Most of the Washington
Chinese will take passage from San Fran
cisco, although few may leave by the
Empress liners that sail from Vancouver
British Columbia. Reports from other
Eastern cities indicate that the movement
has spread to them.
On the authority of leader among the
Chinese, it can be said that the movement
is a political one, and that the Celestials
now en- route home were called there by
the head men of the reform party of the
Middle Kingdom. In speaking of the mat
ter, he said:
THE members of the Bow Wong, or re-
form society, in the United States have
received some important letters from the
old country. By and by, perhaps, We can
say what is in them. but it would not do
now to make any such announcement. 1t
will do no harm, however, to say this
much: The Bow Wong party has always
been bent on keeping the Emperor, Kwang
Hsu, on the thrCne. We have been under
the ban in China since the Empress got
control of the Government and many of
the leaders have come to America In
fact. most of the prominent men in the
party are now abroad. They believe that
nothing but thorough reform in accord
ance with Western ideas can 81 We the En-
pire. Now. since the Boxer crimes, it
seems as if the time has come when the
reform element can do some good in China,
fo- wes are ready to work with America
and Russia in restoring Kwang Hsu to the
throne.
But the allies need not think that We
will suffer China to be split up among
them. That is one thing We will not en-
dure. In view Of the crisis at Pekin many
members of the party who have been Iiv-
ing in America have quietly been sum-
moned to China, and they are now ON their
way. They Will exert all their influence
to bring about a settlement whereby the
powers will preserve the integrity of China
while restoring Kwang Hsu to throne"
reporter who made a trip through
chinatown last night in search of further
1acts regarding the exodus, found that the
Mongol population was anxious to keep
silent on the subject. Such Chinese as
would admit that the movement had ac-
tually commenced. declared that il was due
only to desire to get back home in time
for the Celestial New Year They asserted
that there is little for the yellow men to
do here In winter time, and il, consequence
such as had saved money wera going home
tc spend few months with parents or
wives.
But the silence of the Chinese In re-
gard to the exodus was clamorous yocifera-
tion when compared to the absolute dumb
ness that they showed in reply to ques-
tons about the Bow Wongs. Laundrymen
and merchants who had boasted of their
ability to talk English would say nothing
when the Bow Wong subject was brought
up. They would insist that they knew
nothing OF the reform society. had never
heard OF it. and were ignorant of its OBJ
iects. One almond-eyed restaurant-keeper
relaxed sufficiently to suggest that maybe |
the students at the Calvary Baptist Sun
lay school would know something of the |
mysterious society Those mission boys |
snow more about the Bow Wongs than |
anybody" he asserted.
Accordingly the reporter made a trip to |
the Chinese Sunday school, conducted by |
The Calvary Baptist Church. at the corner |
of H and Eighth Streets northwest. About |
twenty-five Of the local Chinese werei
studying there under the tutorship of |
young ladies' of the congregation. After |
the service the reporter made canvass |
among the Celestial pupils. All of them |
were dispced to deny all knowledge of the |
Bow Wonss. One boy. however, finally ad- |
nitted that the society was represented |
here. and he asserted that there are about |
100 members in Washington. He declared /
that they had given up all hope of seating |
kwang Hsu on the throne again, and there |
20 stopped