Washington sentinel., 1900-06-23

widesDread belief in the Orient, has
English or American blood in her veins,
her mother having been a Eurasiau, or
child of a white father. and Manchu
mother. In this second edict the vice.
roys were warned to exercise prudent
discrimination toward the disturbers of
public peace, "The reckless fellows"
who band together and create riot on
the pretext Of securing the Inauguration
OF reforms, we're to be punished, while
those loval subjects who learn gymnastic
drill for the protection of "their families
and their country" that is to say, the
members Of the Righteous Harmony
Fists Association" were to be favored.
This was the first heard OF the socalled
"BOxer'," openly a society for the cul-
tiVatiOn Of gymnastics. secretly an anti
foreign political movement, something
like those"Turn VereIne," ," or gymnastic
societies which played so important a
political role in Germany at the begin
ming OF the present century, becoming
one OF the most important factors in the
liberation OF the Fatherland from the
presence Of the French invader. From
that time forth the socalled "Boxers"
were more or less openly encouraged
by the Empre S. They became means
Of union among all the various secret
societies, and If today these societies in
all parts ofthe immense Chinese Empire
are simultaneously taking to arms to
expel the foreigners, il is due to the
cleveTness of the old Empress. who is
thus at the close OF the nineteenth cen.
tury emulating the role PLAYED nearly
one hundred years ago by Queen Louise
OF Prussia. when she reused her country.
men to rid Germany OF the thraldom Of
Napoleon.
There is every reason to believe that
on this occasion the Dowager Empress
has at her back not merely her Mauchu
retainers, but all China, aud China. as
stated above. contains a teemlng and
seething population OF more than four
hundred millions, who are insensible to
pain almost, and are imtued with fierce
hatred OF foreigners, and have no fear
OF death ocope with the yellow peril,
naval, and especially military forces, Of
a colossal character will be required. It
is true that both Canton and Pekin were
occupied some forty years ago, BY an
allied French and English army OF IS 900
or 10000 men. But the late Sir Harry
Parks explained long sfterward that
these forces only occupied a very small
quarter thereof, and that the remainder
OF the two cities were so little under
their control that each morning the
heads of those European soldiers who
had straYed beyond the Gordon Of guards
during the night would be hurled from
neighboring houses into the allies lines.
Indeed. the socalled seizure of these
immense capitals was so ineffective that
not one in a thousand { hInamen will
admit that il really took place, Chinese
living at Pekin at tbs time declare that
the story must be untrue, seeing that
they never set eyes on a French or an
English soldier at the time alleged.
Moreover. Chinese history ascribes the
destruction OF the celebrated summer
palace, not to the French and English
troops, as was really the case. but to the
Divine agencies, as punishment oI
sacrilege on the part OF one OF the
members OF the imperial family
Meanwhile the insuTTection proceeds
apace, missionaries and merchants are
being massacred, and European and
American property is being devastated
Nor does there appear any immediate
solution Of the problem, TOR it is by nc
means certain that either Russian or
Japanese invasion Of China would suffice
to quell the anti foreigner movement
The forces that would confront al
invading army are too great, the empir
is too vast In extent, the population to,
colossal. That there may have bee
: sympathy on the part Of the Dowage
Empress Tor Russia in the past is quit
probable, tor she must have observe
5 that the Muscovite empire is the oul
4 foreign power whose policy neve
I wavers and always puTsues the sam
aim until It attains IL, sometimes onl
4 after the lapse Of many years But sh
s has now, according to all appearance
d cut herself adrift from her Muscovi
l. entanglemeuts, realizing that Russia
IT more ravenous than any other foreii
power for Chinese territory aud cons
As tutes more serious peril to the inttgr
he and independence Of the empire tn
10 any other nation. The Empress