The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1911-12-21
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ors was in 1861 and for seven years there
waged civil war in the Middle Kingdom that
far exceeded in bloodshed the conflict between
the North and the South in the United States.
And 1t is an interesting coincidence, that
these two national upheavals we're in progress
at the same time and both inspired by the
same sentiment. love of country; while in
still more striking manner did this mighty Chi
nese protest become a counterpart of the
American revolution in it's avowed purpose To
claim it's country for itself and Danish forever
beyond the confines of the empire the hated
Manchu usurper
That the victory of Washington and his Ioval
hosts was not duplicated by the Chinese reyo-
lutionists at that time was due to tho fact
that their efforts were irnpeded. interfered with
and finally successfully resisted by that same
power whose unjust domination Of these
American States eventually resulted in tha
immortal Declaration of Independence
And yet how much is known of the history ne
the TAI Ping Kwok," the Tai Ping Rebellion.
or The Great Kingdom of Peace?"
The cable and the wireless have SO brought
the ends of the earth together that today. we
read in the morning paper what has TRANSFERRED
in the evening on the other side of the earth
But in those days, China was a land buried
in mystery, practically unknown and unex-
plored and whose political and economic condi-
tons attracted but little attention from the
outside world, and SO far as we are concerned
we were too deeply engrossed in our own gil
gantfc struggle to maintain the unity of our
own states, to give thought to what was
transpiring across the Pacific
The history Of the Tai Ping rebellion is one
of intense interest and full of tragedy, pathos,
and romance, but is merely referred to here
being the first cohesive effort made by the
Chinese to regain the government of their own
land and f-,aa them cnlvnc from fho throldoy,,f
of foreign rule
Their efforts were unsuccessful. The move
ment was born in the spirit of enthusiastic pa
triotism but it ended in total riot and demorali-
zation.
It's leader, Hung Hsieu Chuen, first raised
the cry. Down with the Manchus" and his en-
thusiasm was Infectious
The Chinese turned to him as a divinely ap-
pointed saviour Of their land. and he, being
more or less Of visionary type, believed him.
self to be inspired and commissioned by Heav-
en- to accomplish this herculean task
He had received a certain amout of Chris
tian training and it is an astonishing fact that
the whole movement was primarily based on
Christian principles. But that his religious
zeal exceeded his good judgment and sound rea-
son is indicated by the fact that while he re-
ferred to Christ as the Elder Brother he i'm
piously termed himself the Younger Brother
thus placing himself on an equality with Divin-
ity
Notwithstanding this and other faults of
judgment his cause appealed to the great mass
of the people, thousands focked to his vic
torious banners and his war against the Man
chu government was a series of uninterrupted
triumphant achievements.
City after city fell before his patriotic as
sault and Wuchang. Hankow and Han Yang