The Hawaiian gazette., 1901-02-08


Harris analysis of the origin
u and growth of the Boxer move
ment Is remarkable. His ideas
coincide partially with those that have
already been expressed IN other quar-
tiers. but in some respects they are
quite novel. He maintains that the
very beginning of the movement was
a programme of forming a volunteer
army. 1t had been constantly urged
upon China by foreign ADVISERS that
she must endeavor to develop her own
capacities of defense; must provide
herself with an army and navy. On
the other hand, the example of Euro
pean States plainly suggested that a
big standing army is wasteful and
dangerous, while her own experience
during the Franco Chinese affair,
when "all China ranged itself on the
Government side" and the lessons of
the Boer war seemed to indicate that
a volunteer organization would best
meet the eXigencieS of the time. such
a device would cover the whole en-
pire, offer an outlet for restless spirits
and foster a united and patriotic
feeling" 1t was thus that the Boxer
association came into existence. Sir
Robert describes ii as patriotic in
idea, and in point of fact the outcome
of either forein advice or the study
of foreign methods" AS to the sub
sequent history of the movement, Sir
Roberts words must be quoted:
I'm the meanwhile, the seeds of 9TH
er growths We're being sown in the soil
of the Chinese mind, private and Off
cial, and were producing fruit each
after their kind. Various commercial
stipulations sanctioned by treaties had
not taken into full account Chinese
conditions, difficulties, methods and
requirements, and their enforcement
did not make foreign commerce more
agreeable to the eye of either proVin
cial or metropolitan officials. Mission
airy propagandism was at work all
over the country, and it's fruits, Chi
nese Christians, did not win the es-
TEEN or good will of their fellows; for,
first of all, they offended public feel
ing by deserving Chinese for foreign
cults; next, they irritated their fellow
villagers by refusing, as Christians, to
take part in or share the expenses of
village festivals and lastly, as Chris
tians again, they shocked the official
mind, and popular opinion also, by get
ting their religious teachers. more es-
pecially the Roman Catholics, to inter-
fere on their behalf in litigation, ct
cetera-a state of affairs which became
specially talked about in Shantung, the
native province of Confucius of over
two thousand years ago and now the
sphere of influence of one of the
churchs most energetic bishops. The
arrangement by which missionaries
were to ride in green chairs and be
recognized as the equals of Governors
and Viceroys had it's special signifi-
canoe and underlined missionary aSpi-
ration, telling people and officials IN
every province what they had to ex-
pect from 1t. On the top of this came
the Kiao-chow affair and the degrade
ton and cashiering of a really able,
popular and clean-handed official, the
Governor Ii Ping Heng, succeeded by
the ceSsions of territory at Port Ar
thur, Wei-hai-wei Kwang -chow-wan,
ct cetera; and these doings, followed
by the successful stand made against
the Italian demand for a port on the
coast of Chekiang, helped to force the
Chinese Government to see that con-
cession had gone far enough and that
opposition to foreign encroachment
might now and henceforth be the key
note of its policy. Ii Ping Heng had
taken up his private residence in the
southeastern corner of Pechili, close
to the Shantung frontier, and the
Boxer movement, already started in
tentative way in the latter province,
now received an immense impetus
from the occurrences alluded TO, and
was carefully nurtured and fostered by
that cashiered official-more respected
than ever by his countrymen. Other
high officials were known to be in
sympathy with the new departure and
to give it their strongest approval and
support. such as Hsu Tung, Kang /,
and men of the same stamp and stand
ing, and their advice to the throne was
to try conclusions with foreigners and
yield no more to their demands. How
ever mistaken may have been their
reading of foreigners and however
wrong their manner OF action, these
men-eminent In their own country for
their learning and services-were ami
mated by patriotism, were enraged at
foreign dictatlon, and had the courage
Of their convictions. We must do them
the justice OF allowing they We're actu-
ated by high motives and love OF
country; but that does not always or
necessarily mean political ability or
highest wisdom,
'Thus IL came 90 pass that a novel
attempt to strengthen China took form
and shape Il was more or less eon-
ceiyed on foreign lines ana the result
Of a study of foreign eonditionsi but
apart from what IL comprised OF the
patriotic ana the justihabie, II aimed
AZ change as llttle as possible ana u
grated a carefully assimlahef foreign
idea volunteering - on as carefully
prepared a Chinese trunk and rs
growth convinced the Government that
n could be relied on 90 relieve the
country from foreign dlotation II not
Dive the foreigner entirely our ~ u,
That n Was patriotic IN rs origin ana
iusiihahe Ia much thai u Aimed -,
cannot be questioned. and cannot be
TOO much insisted on, but Ike other
popular riHlHHf ~ popular organize
iinn and formidable development ana
NiaeanFfRd Hf0sih mada u more llkely
10 lead thHn 90 fnllow, Nhilr the elaine
81 NA aHI.
pHrnafugal pnNrfa ln tho mhtitrH M
uaFemsnl ana nNuluffahllfy fahih7