Lancaster enterprise. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1891-1905, 1900-06-30
THE BOXERS OF CHINA.
Professor OF the Pekin Universe
ty DiscOurses on the Organ
iZatiOn.

Isaac Taylor Headland In Har-
per's Weekly.
. The present condition of af-
fairs in China is the logical out
come of conditions which began
more than year ago. The prov
inces of Shantung and Honan
have always been the center not
only of learning and C great
men (Confucius and Mencius
having been born there), but also
of secret societies, and conse.
quently of such uprisings as that
which is at present disturbing
China, and especially Pekin.
The society called Boxers ori-
ginated. many years ago and Is of
twofold or perhaps manifold
character. It's partially athletic
and partly moral and religious.
As an athletic association 1T goes
under the name Of the Big Knife
society (Ta Tao Hull, and as a
moral or religious society under
the name of Righteousness and
Peace First. 1t is organized for
the most part In the rural and
village districts, and, it is said Of
the officials, Is for the mutual
help and protection 0f the coun
try people-help in times of fam
me, and protection from thsir
enemies, and in case of necessity
against oppression Of various Of
ficials.
During the governorship of Yu
Hsien there was constant trouble
arising from thieves and robbers,
who were made such by the fam
inc caused by the annual over
how of the Yellow river. This
society was organized in its pres
ent form with the consent and
protection of the governor, and.
it is said, with his own son as a
member. The governor gave the
members swords and constituted
them a sort of rural police, who
we're to protect the people against
the famine brlgands.
About three years ago the Ro-
man Catholic priests, through the
influence of the French minister.
were given official rank cores
ponding to that of the various
Chinese of1icials-viceroy, gov.
ernor, taotai, etc.-and it was
made obligatory upon the Chin
ese official, when appointed to a
new or leaving and old post, to
call upon or send his card to the
bishop or priest, while at the
same time 1t put into the hands
Of the clergy no small power
when they met an official, especi-
ally in cases of litigation.
The Roman Catholic Christians
were often oppressed by the nom
Christian members of their com
munity, and as a result the
church appointed two of her
priests to attend to no other du.
Ties except the investigation Of
evidence in cases of litigation,
and the conduct Of such cases as
they thought unjust before the
official. The fact that they had
official rank and the other very
important fact that they were
foreigners both added to their
power, and they were thus able
TO meet the official, not only on
his own ground, but with the ad-
ditional power of understanding
foreign law. The Christians were
therefore enabled to obtain JUS
6ice.
NOW A BAND OF MARAUDERs INSTEAD
OF KEEPERS OF PEACE.
About one year ago the society
of Boxers transformed themselves
from keepers of the peace to a
band of marauders, robbing, muir
dering, pillaging and looting all
the Christian villages In Shan,
tuDg. They made no distintioD
between Cathlics and protesta n Is.
When they came to q village
then sought out the Christians
and made it their first business
10 discover whether they had
property or not. Where one had
property and was influential they