The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-06-26
CHINA ON EVE
OF A CIVIL WAR
Conditions Are Said to Be
Very Serious
MANY SECRET SOCIETIES
Have Been Preparing for the Rebel
lion for Ten Years, 1t is Claimed.
"China for the Chinese" Is
Their Warchword
MANY SECRET SOCIETIES

London, June sL)-Chna is on
the eve of civil war which promises to
wipe out the present dynasty. In diplo-
matte circles, the authorities of the Chi
nese question are all of the opinion that
the recent uprisings in the provinces of
Hupeh and Human in April and May
and the riots In Changsha, are but the
first signs of storm, which is soon to
spread over the empire and spread death
and destruction in its wake
For ten years the numerous and power
full secret societies in China have been
preparing for this rebellion. Large i'm
portations of arms have been made and
vast army of men have been drilling
| secretly. 1t is the avowed purpose of the
organizers of the rebellion to overthrow
the present form of government and es-
tablish a republic modelled after the
United States.
Although the Tartar Manchus have
reigned at Peking for six centuries they
are still regarded as foreigners by the
Chinese, and innumerable efforts have
been made in the past to drive them from
the country. Concerted action was never
achieved, however. and II was not until
DR.. Sun Vat Sen, the organizer of rev.
olution began to form his plans for weld
ing the people into a nation and estab-
fishing a Chinese republic after the model
of the United States that the dynasty
was seriously threatened. If the antici-
pations of Europeans in China are cor
rect. he has now perfected his prepara-
tons for oyerthrowing the dynasty and
sweeping the whole posse of mandarins
and officials out of existence.
1t Is by means of the vast organiza-
tion of secret societies with which China
is honeycombed from Mukden to Can
ton that he has conducted his campaign.
Every Chinese rebellion and riot for the
past 800 years has been inspired and aided
by one of these societies. and they are
all bound together by common sentiment
and interest. All are violently anti-dy-
nasty and all are equally anti-foreign.
Dr. Sun Vat Sen has declared his in
tention of throwing every port open to
the world when he becomes President of
the Chinese republic of which he dreams;
but the watchword of the societies Is
China for the Chinese" and the recent
riots In Human prove that any general
movement will at once imperil the lives
of Europeans in the country.
Greatest of all the secret societies is
the Sanhohu, or Triad. of which Dr. San
Vat Sen is believed to be the head CEN
tre." Some authorities estimate the num-
bers of It's members at 100000, but others
declare 1t includes at least 100000 of the
$1,000 900 adult males in China. It's power
reaches as far as Liverpool, San Fran
cisco and Sydney, and no delinquent
member Is very safe from its emissaries.
1t was founded in 1914. and its name
signifies Three United referring to
Heaven. Earth and Man. When these
three have united to drive out the Man
chus and all other foreign devils, its
members believe, the perfect triangle will
be formed, and universal peace viii fol-
low. Another name of the society Is Thi-
antihui or Heaven Earth league"
It's avowed object is to seek more light,
or ming" but Ming was also the name
of the previous dynasty, and this am
biguous phrase never concealed the fact
that Its object was solely political.
Membership may be said to be compul-
sorry, for when anyone Is likely to be of
service to the society the local authori-
ties-after the manner of Silver's BLACK
spot''-send him a paper bearing their
seal. He is warned TO present himself
for initiation. and threatened with muir
der II he should reveal the message. II
he shows signs OF hesitation, he Is at
.tracted to the lodge by a ruse, and once
he takes the oath, terror ever after
wards prevents him breaking 1t.
Subscriptions are largely raised by lev
les on the keepers of gambling dens and
the society is always well provided with
money. Members swear to help each 9TH
er in every way, and doubtful cnarac-
tiers become members with the object OF
pursuing vendettas, receiving an aid In
smuggling and evading the law. One OF
the four lodge officials is an executioner,
and instances are known of fntruders-
or .'drauRhts of wind" as they are called
being promptly killed for approaching
meetings.
Such q vast organization might well
turn the world upside down, but II Is
only one o fthe many kindred socletles.
In addition there are countless guilds
of merchants and even thieves and beg
CARS, which are In reality powerful Sc
cret societies.
It was the American Exclusion treaty,
proposed in 1905 that gave the cnief I'M
petus to the federation of societies which
has since increased SO rapidly. Trade
guilds combined to boycott foreign goods,
and new anti-foreign societies sprang up
everywhere. Then the reformers took
over the control OF the movement and
used it to bind all societies together
Many efforts have been made by the
central government TO stem the tiue.
reward of $4,000, payable on delivery,
was offered for DR.. San Vat Sens head,
and an effort was made to 'kidnap'' him
In London. Leaders of the Aikwohui So
ciety were condemned to death, and the
society was ordered to be dissolved. En-
deayors were made to throw dust In the
eyes of Europeans by explaining that the
Boxers were really only an association OF
gymnasts, and that there was nothing to
fear. .
But although the government could
threaten, It could not execute us threats.
Arms have been smugsieo across .ne
Russian frontier. and gun-running has
heen common on the north coast. Only