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

and no Boxers but good ones. The no.
yitiates in the order of Triads are sur
rounded with myths and symbols to In
still degree of awe that will hold them
to their oath. Death by decapitation,
the most terrible of all Chinese penal
ties. is the'reward Of treachery and the
fate of any who intrudes upon the
sanctities of lodge. The ceremony is
elaborate. and the recruit comes to the
altar vefsed in the lore of the order and
dare not mistake word or syllable.
Having at last been tested. he is puri-
fed and clothed in spotless white. then
admitted into an assembly of brethren
His sponsor is placed under bonds for
the fealty of his candidate and reads to
him while he kneels at the altar the SO
articles of the oath.
In his oath the neophyte promises to
observe the laws of tilial pety. to sub
the order. to observe scrupulousiy the
sprecepts of the oath enjoining the
practice of virtue and benevolence. In
vowine most solemnly never to conceal
serpents among dragons the Triad sim
ply swearS that he will not introduce
MantchooS among the loyal Cinnamon
of the order. He further agrees to sac
riice an ear for the slightest infraction
of the rules of secrecy and silence and
to suffer death for the second offense.
One feature of the ceremonies In secret
makes the heart of the Celestial leap
with Joy. and il is no wonder that he
swears to be a Triad if he dies for it,
The hated cue is unbranded and the
hair allowed to fall down over the
shoulders as in the good old days of the
Ming rule when the Chinese We're
known as the ''black named men, be-
cause of their long. bushy. black locks.
Out in the world the Triads make
themselves known to brethren by va
rious secret glances. gestures and tones
of voice Being naturally anladept lin
ways that are dark and tricks that are
vain the heather Chinee is in bis ele-
ment in fraternity of Triads banded
together to do horrible things to the
powers that Cypress.
The Boxers and their forerunners for
generations have been the political reg.
ulators OF China. After the Mantchoo
usurper had installed foreign court
in Picking the patriot regulator became
the tyrant hater. The Mantchoo is a
foreigner. and after the Europeans be-
came partners in the plot to rule the
Celestial as a vassal hatred was turn
ed against them on general principles.
Still the outbreak of last summer was
not at bottom Triad society move
ment. The plot was to get rid OF the
empress dowager and With her the
whole Mantchoo train of parasites.
! Prince Tuan tlattered and encouraged
the Boxers and skillfully turned the
blow aimed at the heads of the i'm
/ pexial elan upon the Europeans.
! 1t is extremely improbable that an
association spreading all over China
and 10 her colonies and the haunts of
] the emigrantsson foreign soil and mum.
bering its millions would stop at the
mere expulsion of European foreign
ers after having brooded over the
/ teachings of 2G0 years that happiness
could only come to China by the res.
toration of native rulers. The Boxers
lead in the cry. China for the Chi
nese.." and with them Chinese does not
include the Mantchoo. Whatever there
4 is of national spirit and reform spirit
among the Celestals may be found be
hind the Boxers. if not in open league
/ with the society. All restlessness has
one cause, hatred of foreign rule aud
foreign influence: all reform has one
end IN view. China for the Chinese =
The -mperial government is too veal;
4 TO suppress the secret societies even