The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1902-07-11
CHINESE SECRET SOCIETIES.
They Consider Tartar and Caucasian
Natural Enemies,

The following excerpt is from an article by
Frederick Poole in the Era Magazine" en-
To give a full history of these secret soc.e
ties as they exist in China now would exhaust
the labors of of annalists, and of hun
dreds of investigators. All are sworn to a
feud against the Tartars, and the majority
of their members are declared in opposition
to the white races. Tartar and Caucasian
classed common enemies, dangerously
allied. Race pride and patriotism in these
men of the pure blood of the ancient soil
have combined with a persistent apprehension
that the foreigners only aim is the more COM
plete subjugation of their spirit and the per-
petuation of dimly defined atrocities upon
Among the societies some stand above their
fellows In strength of numbers and in the
power Of closely knit organization. There is
the Ta-Tao Hui the society Of the Great
Sword. whose sole purpose is the expulsion of
the white man from China, with, the alteTna-
tive of determination. Another is the lilo
Chuan or the league Of the United Patriots.
which was formed two years ago. II is the
company of the men who their fists, and
the world beyond has given them the effective
name of Boxers Among them all. the strong
est society is the Triad. Its sign is the hair
grown long. the shaven head and the queue
evidence of submission to Tartar rue,
and fealthy to the imperial family. All of the
societies perpetuate the memory of the con
clusion of the rebellion in 1870, which they
attribute to the Staying of the white foreign
ers-deviis whose blood, righteously shed,
appeased the wrathful gods and gave to China
some measure of that kingdom of peace which
was atoretime hers.
took it's popular name from that Of the most
picturesque among the societies that engaged
in it; but the Tartar allied with the
I-Ho-Chuan. The history of that outbreak.
with all it's Of horror. and all Its I'M
told bloody NARRATIVES. is still too recent to
require recounting. All that need be done is
to point out its intimate and cogent relation
with the REBELLION of the Tai Ping, and its
identity in origin with the revolution which
now confronts the imperial family upon its
return to the imperial home.
The Chinese peasant today is having the
obvious thrust upon his vision 4 tyranny
such as in effect the Chinese Government. IS,
exists long only as it appears 10 the ty
rannized to be omnipotent. In all their rela-
tions with the civilized world. whatever We're
their failures and however humiliatng were
their defeats the first solicitude Of China $
rulers has been TO save their face" before
the gaze OF the subject peoples. The Foreign
demands for indemnity, necessarily complied
with in the light of Chna's absolute helpless
ness, has made clear 10 even the hW1blest of
the Chinese that the imperial family, rever-
enced as deitles human Themselves
and as liable to humiliation by superior force.
The additional taxes which have been eNacted
in order to discharge in cash the blood debt
incurred two years ago, have brought home
TO the people OF the country. never
brought home before. the terrible power which
who were dreaded even while they were de-
VIII owere dreaded even while they were de-
| spised.