Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-08-29
Anolhe Aspect u the Boxers.

have escaped attention is presented IL
a recent number of the Japan Weekly
Mail. an intelligent interpreter for tn,
rest of the world of Asiatic affairs
This article shows that the expulsion
of foreign devils is far from being
the single aim of this great organiZa
ton. 1t is held that the chief object OF
the society's attacks is the Imperial
government. The Boxers, in their Off
cial manifestoes. denounce the corrup-
ton and greed of the Emperor and the
court and call upon the people TO rid
themselves of the imperial incubus.
The origin of this corruption is traced
to the Introduction of foreign ideas and
institutions into the country. Hence
the Boxers are attempting TO drive out
the foreigners, in order to work re-
form in their own government.
The Boxer rising seems to combine tho
clements of religious and national
movement. The famous Boxer drill
consists of a repetition of words SUP
posed to act as charms, violent contor-
tons of the body. which induce a state
of trance, during which the subject is
supposed to deliver occult messages re-
lating to the progress Of the move
ment" These trance manifestations
bear strong resemblance 10 the jerk"
which We're epidemic in the early camp
| meeting revivals throughout the South
| and the West in this country. In addi-
| ton to the revelations connected with
| the Boxer incantatiOns, they are sup
posed to render those who engage in
| them invulnerable alike TO sword
| thrusts and to rife bullets. The writer
from whose account We have quoted
declares that there is no Chinaman
high or low. friend or foe to the society
from the Empress doWager downward,
who does not believe in the reality and
power Of this so-called possession
Inspired with superstitious belief n
their invulnerability the Boxers have
started on a NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. crusade.
to rid their country Of foreign devils"
and Of corrupt officials.
This double animus of the society
against official corruption and against
foreign influence is shown by these eX-
tracts from one Of the Boxer placards:
For the past five or six generations
bad officials have been in trust, bu
reaus have been opened for the sale Of
| offices, and only those who had money
to pay for il have been allowed to hold
positions in the government. The grad
nation Of scholars has become useless.
and members Of the College OF Litera-
ture and scholars of the Third Degree
are in obscurity al home. An official
position can only be obtained at the
price of silver. The Emperor covets
the riches of his ministers, these again
eXtort from the lower ranks OF the man
darins, and the lower mandarins il
turn tby the necessity of their positionl
must eXtort from the people. The
whole pOpulace is sunk in wretched-
ness and all the officials are spoilers OF
their food The condition of the
Yamens is unspeakable. In every
market and in every guild nothing can
| be done unless money be spent. Thu
officials must be- bribed. All sorts Of
eXactiOns are made. These officials are
full of schemes none of which are in
accordance with the three principles.
Having forfeited their heaven derived
disposition they are unreasonable and
unrcgulated. They are all alike, i'll
, gotten wealth is their one object. Right
| has disappeared from the world. There
! is nothing but squabbling and eXtor-
| ton on all hands. and lawsuits are
| unnumbered The Emperor him
self. the chief offender. has had his
succession cut off and is childless. Tho
whole court. both civil and military. is
| in an unSpeakable condition They in
dulge blindly in mere amusement and
| disregard the widows cry, repenting
Of nothing and learning nothing good.
| Greater calamities still have over
taken the nation. Foreign devils have
come with their teaching and converts
to Christianity, Roman Catholic and
| Protestant, have become numerous
These tchurches) are without human
relations, but, being most cunning. they
have attracted all the greedy and Gov
etous as converts. and to an unlimited
degree they have practiced oppression
until every good official has been cor
rupted, and. covetous of foreign
wealth, has become their servant. SO
telegraphs and railways have been es-
tablshed, foreign rifles and guns have
| been manufactured, and machine shops
have been delight to their evil nature.
Locomotives, balloons, electric lamps
the foreign devils think excellent.
! Though these foreigners ride in sedans
unbeftting their rank, China yet re-
CARDS them as barbarans Of whom God
disapproves and is sending dowr.
spirits and genii for their destruction"
The spirit and style Of this arraign-
ment of the money power" resembles
those excited denunciations of plutoc-
racy which the Bryanites are giving
us. This new information about the
aims of the Boxers makes them
worthier objects of Bryanite sympathy
than the Filipinos Or Beers. They arc
patriots after Bryan's own heart.
though their methods seem to be a
trifle more violent than he cares to ad-
vocate in America. 1t seems really too
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