The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1901-04-09

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sA gNjEI[a.lDem in
E3s I/IL/1IUS lChina does not
E-2--.--@-A------ tend to national
ism. but to sectionalism and provincial
ism. M
The people Of China do not labor to
strengthen the hands of the general
government, but they do labor to tie it's
hands or at least to limit its power for
meddling with the rights of the masses.
1t is a deep maze, the Chinese social
polity, but there is sense in it and
strength for certain crises. One of the
worst things that can happen to Chi
namap is to lose face" and he will
lose face if he breaks one jot or little
of the law of the fellows with whom he
is associated in an oath bound clan.
The secret societies of China are too
many to count, but there isn't an object
in life dear to masses that hasn't one
or more societies to promote it: also
there isn't an evil threatening to cor
rupt and defraud the masses that
hasn't called into life a society to COM
bat it, Gambling and opium smoking,
in bounds, if not exactly regulated. by
ants that SOMETHING'S go at the evils
as the Boxers did at the foreigners.
1t is alternately claimed and denied
that the Chinese are capable of COM
bination. The apparent lack of public
spirit in China is laid to their failure
to work in combination. The fact is
that China is either blessed or cursed
! by the most extensive and powerful
societies known in the world. And one
of the things which the Chinese COM
bine to do in secret oath bound asso-
Citations is the regulation of civic af-
/ fairs; hence the Boxers, who want to
regulate the foreigners. whether Mant-
choo or European. Thieves and brig
/ ands and all sorts of malefactors may
for a time defy the local police, but
Brotherhood OF the Venerable Bull
takes up the cudgel it is relentless
lynch law on huge scale. China is
regulated when things get too bad.
/ just as California was regulated in the
~ffties, by sworn vigilantes as des-
perate as the evildoers themselves
The secret societies of China which
undertakeNto regulate public affairs are
similar to the law and order leagues
and societies for the prevention of evils
in this country, except that the mem
: bers are bound by oaths and the meth
DDS used are as INSCRIPTIONS as those
of the evildoers who are TO be disci.
pinned The names of societies of this
kind do not always indicate their char
acter The Society OF the White Lotus
has existed for 800 years. hut associa-
tons having the same object in view
do hot always bear that name The
Clear Shining Lotus and the Clear and
Bright Lotus are changes on the par
ent namF adopted for the purpose OF
GLIDING edicts TO suppress the origina
order
Various societies With totally differ
ent names are derived from the paren
association. and the Boxers. or LOVING
Union of Elder Brothers. is II societ,
organized to revive the military spiri
OF the Chinese. The most potent anl
formidable of all active societies il
. China today is the Society of Concord
of Three called by Europeans til,
Triads. The proselytes of this society
honor and worship the trinity of Heav
en-. Earth and Man For the last 30t
I years the main objects of the societie
: fathered by the. Triads have beer
the expulsion of the Tartars and tn
longed for restoration of the Min;
dynasty. and this programme is only
continuation of the work of similar so
cieties which existed under Ming rul
and conspired TO limit the unbridled au
thority of the emperor Revolution o
| rebellion is the inevitable end of tn
activities of these societies. even whel
1 the primary aim is pacific one.
The Chinese outside of the fatheran,
are the boldest OF subscribers to revo
| lutionary tenets fostered at home. TIL
TAPPING rebels We're largely recruite,
from members of the Triad and branc
societies who hadfbeen drilled in secre
for the moment when itswould be wis
to strike at the hated Tartar rule
In their secret ceremonies the Triad
parade the,virtuouS motto. "Ohey Hpav
Ell and deal justly" 1t is used in greet
ing. salutation and farewell and is I'LL
derstood by the initiated to be only
formula for the more businesslike III
junction. Drive out the Tartar and re
! store the Ming dynasty" The imperia
government is also cGual to the gam
> VT double dealing. In its code of law
N the members of the societies of Heave
and Earth are held punishable by de
:: capitation for attending reunions an
Y other acts set down. and outsiders VII
v MD them are condemned to death b
y strangulation. But this does not pre-
Y vent the provincial government nc
v the imperial court from patting til
, sectaries, as they are called. upon til
back whenever they can make use {
(, them, as was the case with the Boxer
last summer.
In the edicts Of the rulers there al
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