The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, September 4, 1898, Page 17

A BRE 1$ HANBLING L FHE REBEL- LIGN IN THE FL.OWERY from Shanghai dated Wednes~ Chinese Govi Sioitohed battl, :ported, have been defeated days by the Kwangsi rebals, iumber 80,000 and the provin- perial edict just issued strongly censures gsi pro 2 for de the the rebellion had be the Governor of peror in July last by reporting that ¢ LONDON, Sept. 1—Hongkong dispatches state that the revolu- tionary societies in China, which are practically affiliated under one head, are most active in their efforts to profit by the existing complica- tions in the Orient. Their main object is to strike a decisive blow at the Manchurian dynasty before either Russin or England has suc- ceeded in obtaining supremacy at Peking. With this end in view, the societies have recently met in extraordinary conventions in thi‘l principal Chinese cities, and have dispatched agents to their Euro- pean and American branches to rush the plan of action to a speedy con- summation. These agents possess absolute authority to purchase army supplies, if necessary, or influence foreign legislation in favor of th rebels. The arrival of these agents in the European capitals is be- g eagerly awaited and elready diplomatic batteries are being trained in their direction. ~America will be covered by the most shrewd of the society’s representatives, and San Francisco is reported to have been selected as the base of operations. The successful work of the Cuban Junta in America has greatly encouraged the leaders who represent the “Chinese Junta.” HE cecret agent of the so-called “Chinese rebels” is here In San Fran o in daily and close discussion with the Chinese junta handling end of the great rebellion. Nothing will satisfy them but tne complete overthrow of the pr nt Manchurian dynasty. I man s to meet him through the kindly influences of a learned old dfcgea whe stands high in the councils of the Ghee Kung Tong Society. o On seelag the report in the dafly papers that the rebellion was flaming sore actively than ever throughout the Flowery Kingdom and that secret emi s had been dispatched to the strongholds of the conspirators throughout the world 1 went to the old physician and asked him point blank if I could meet the agent accredited to San Francisco. For d‘e(‘udes this city has been the greatest stronghold in foreiga lands of the conspira~ tors and I krew that the one sent here must be important and powerful. The old doctor was silent a moment over my question, as if duly \velih- ing his words before speaking. “The agent has arrived,” he said slowly “and is at present in busy consultation with the brothers of our order at headquarters. Y you may have an Introduction, but the name of the agent must, of course, remain a secret for the present.” We proceeded to the office of the society and ...ere I met the agent, a Chinese -f most striking personality, a man who would attract atl?ntion n though one were ignorant of his mission. Although this man speaks -ord of English he seems most remarkably well posted on the affairs of the world and particularly the political feeling <~ the great powers. I =oon lerrned that he was one of that vast army of disappointed schol- ars. who have passed the sevore clvil service examination of China, and who. shoul® according to the time-honored customs .nd laws of his peo- e been given an official position in the Chinese Government. But, as he said, “Our people have become degenerate. The officlals mere plutocrats. Money is the ruling power of China to-day. As you now ‘* has been written that civil service should be the stepping stone to all political advancement. Many of us who have spent our lives in study - might be fitted for future Government positions have Leen most et aside to give place to a lot of sons ~f rich men who have wherewithal to purchase the positions whici rightfully belong to us. result this perniciou. system is that the moneyed classes of China to- ¢ control the Government from the Tsung Li Yzmen down to the humb- lest postoffice clerk, and manipulate it to sult their own ends. Hence the revolu‘ionary body of China, of which I am the accredited representative to this ccuntry, is ripe for rebellion. “Of course we have watched the result of the late trouble in Cuba, all of SAN [RA e SEPTEMBIR 4;1898.-- N The Insignia of the Ghee Kung Tong, the Most PowefiMI and rgest Secret Political Organization in the World, The Secret Emissary of the Chinese Rebels, Who Has Just Arrived in San Francisco to Consult With the Junta Here. Sketched from life'by a Call artist. He is-of the brightest and boldest of the Chinese who have visited this country in search of advice and the sinews of war to help the rebels overturn the present Chinese dynasty. ' He says that before he left the Celestial Kingdom the leaders of the Ghee Kung Tong Saciety had set a day to rise against the Emperor. London dispatches of yesterday confirm this assertion and state that 80,000 rebels in several provinces are in open arms and have succeeded in defeating the imperial soldiers sent against them. The uprising is spread- ing rapidly. For several months past it has been rumored here that this secret emissary when he arrived would have full power to purchase men-of-war from any of the South American republics. The agent and several members of the Junta now state that this plan has been changed owing to the late complications that have arisen since the big European _nations began to grab Chinese territory. which has given us an insight as to the newly born foreign policy of the United States in which we are so vitally interested. No, we do not expect material help from the United States in our struggle for liberty, but we are much interésted to know how our people in the Philippine Islands will thrive under republican protection. “In fact, I may say, this is one of the principal objects of my mission to this country. “We have discovered that the consular reports submitted by the repre- sentatives of the Chinese Cavernment in the United States are wholly un- trustworthy. What little truth they do contain has been suppressed by the imperial authorities. Although I am not the embassador of any estab- lished forn: .f government, still I represent a greater number of people, possibly, than any member of the diplomatic corps at Washington. My ob- ject is to confirm the information given us by the brethren of our order in this hemisphere. . “I was ordered here in a hurry and so left just before the time set for several of the provinces to rise against the imperial government. Cable- grams inform me that the uprisings have taken place as planned. Events will move rapidly now in the rebellion. The Chinese in America have been counted on to do giant help and that is what I am here for. The time of action is come. “We realize that we will be obliged to fight, but we have every prospect of success, for the Chinese people are with us to a man. Our men are be- ing rapidly armed—for infantry service only—and we expect tbat our con- flict will be short and bloody. The Manchurian hirelings will be our only foe, for we are confident that the many powers will refuse to allow either England or Russia to assist in suppressing the contempiated uprising. The present Chinese Government depends entirely upon this intervention for safety. Do you think she can have it? “Of course I am aware that my presence in this country is known to the agents of the Chinese Government. I know, too, that I am in hourly danger of assassination. Let that be as it may. M+ ca e is a sacred one, and L am ready and willing to brave any danger if my beloved country can be freed from the grasp of the low-caste Tartars who have too long misruled China. “We might purchase ships from certain of the South American republics —in fact it was our original intention to do so—but we have concluded that it were better to attack the government internally, where it cannot be reached by immediate assistance from any foreign power. This is our plan - of action as near as I am at liberty to state at the present time. “I should think America would be greatly interested in this movement as it opens up one of the greatest channels of trade known to the present century. China is probably one of the richest agricultural countries, natus rally, that the sun ever shone upon. She is watered by a million rivers and generally her soil is rich and productive. All she needs is modern ma- -, chinery to develop these great agricultural treasures, and America is our. - natural source of supply. Will America allow this opportunity for coms.: mercial advancement to sip through her fingers? I think not.” ORI Late developments have changed the political horizon of the world, namely, the success of the Cubans in their struggle just ended, all of which has encouraged the revolutionary spirit so long dormant in China, and the Mongols have awakened to the fact that it is time to strike a blow that will deliver the Government of China into the hands of its rightful rulers. The great Chinese revolutionary society is known locally as the Ghee Kung Tong, and its four principal heads are situated at Canton, Manila, Singapore and San Francisco. The only office in this city is 69 Spofford - alley. The society has a membership in this State of about 20,000 able- bodied men, all of whom have been trained to carry arms. They are pro- tected by secret signs and passwords, pay liberally for the best legal ad- vice obtainable, and are in the main prepared to protect themselves against’ the machinations of the home government. They are known to the agents of the Chinese Government collectively only, and never but in one instance has an individual member been molested by his country’s officials for his connection with the order during his residence in this country. This oc- curred about a year ago, when the late notorious highbinder war was in pro- gress in this city. During that period a Chinese merchant was on a visit to the Kwang Tong province and was arrested and held by the native au- thorities there at the instigation of the imperial consul here. It was pre- sumed at the time that this course might have a tendency to quiet the in- cipient riots which were leeping the San Francisco Coroner most uncom- fortably busy. The complaint lodged against this individual was that he was a- member of a seditious society and could be held and punished for treason. An amicable agreement between the different trades guilds and a promise to be good finally solved the problem and the merchant was al- - lowed to return to San Francisco. - The Ghee Kung Tong is open to all persons, irrespective of race and color, who are willing to take the proper oath, after being introduced by some member of the order, who has seen to it that the candidate has expressed the requisite patriotic spirit. Merchants, laborers, house servants, me- chanics and even criminals, are members of this society. I found one most enthusiastic member who holds a position of trust and confidence in one of our banks, a man of education in our language as well as his native tongue. During our conversation he expressed great confidence - in the result of the patriotic movement which, he says, cannot help but be successful. He said: “We are sure to win, for we have both might and right on our side. Why? In the last ten years we have undermined the very throne itself. We have thousands of the high officials of the govern- ment on our rolls, men of education, brains and diplomatic training, men who see corruption under their very noses dally, and are even obliged to condone such outrages or lose both their political and physical heads. We are not going into this thing blindfold. We have spent hundreds of years accumulating our stock of knowledge and we have paid very dearly for the high-priced experience.” “But how,” I asked, “do you expect to accomplish the overthrow of the present Chinese Government?” “Oh! That is somewhat of a secret,” he replied. “Still, I feel that I can give you a fair idea of our plans without fear of injury to ourselves. “In the first place, you must understand that we so-called rebels have a metaphoric ' government already established in the mother country. It is ruled by a man whose lineage is royal beyond the question of a doubt, and although our principles are essentlally republican, we have taken the - precaution which gives our people a confidence and incentive for good and co-operative’ action. We are not poor, as we have been accumulating a fund for many years, and I may say to you that this fund were it sud- denly withdrawn from its piaces of deposit would in all probability create a panic in the money market. However, we contemplate no such foolish move. In case of action our funds would be so carefully and gradually withdrawn that no one would feel any susceptible change. Our greatest trouble at home has been the distribution of small arms, but this is being rapidly accomplished through our brothers in the employ of the present government. . “You may be sure our party will strike as one man when the occasion re- quires. The world will then witness a hand-tu-hand conflict, the most bloody since the hordes of Khan devastated the land of our forefathers. We ask nothing but right and justice, and we are bound to have it.” To get the junta’s idea from another standpoint I went back to my old physician. “My son,” he said, in the picturesque Oriental style of his people, “if you come here to trifle with the feelings of an old man who has devoted the best years of his life to a sacred cause you may depart in peace. If, on the other hand you are a well-wisher, let me ~ive you welcome, and I am quite willing to speak the honest words that come from the heart, not the mouth talk of the braggart or the smooth, polished conversation of the Western infidel. “] am Pagan and know nothing of your Western civilization. I know the historv of my country, know that we are ruled by a lot of foreign devils who have accumulated enormous fortunes, all wrung from the honest tiller of the soil. The time has come when the great central kingdom of the earth (China) must be returned to the Chinese. Look you at this book.” Here he produced a Chinese work on astrology. “Observe the constellation of the planets. My son, what has been written by the great masters must come to pass. All is arranged and the Tartar must fall. We care not that he has fattened his purse from the spoil of his misrule in the past. The past is dead. “Yes, our order is most powerful and well organized. We have our branches established in every great city throughout the world, and once the word is given, freedom for beloved China must follow. You say the great powers may intervene? I give careful ear to such words of wisdom, but we have our plans well matured and are prepared to meet such exigencles. Not all the great powers are our enemies. We have our friends and we have learned by careful observation that the Western man loves liberty, that he is ever ready and willing to lend a helping hand to all down-trodden —eople ~ who ask only for a righteous government. Your own great nation has freed the Cubans, I am told, and has asked for nothing in return. We require - no such help. We are strong in ourselves and wish but an opportunity to show what China can be when ruled by Chinese. “We are in daily communication with the heads of departments in the various cities where our order has its officers. We realize the many diffi- culties under which we labor, but our system is so perfect and our meansg of communication so well arranged that San Francisco is In perfect touch with Canton, Manila and Singapore. “You must remember that an insurrection in China would mean far different warfare from what you might expect of any other country. China is weak. Her standing army is one on paper only, which was fully verified durine the late war with Japan. She has been almost deprived of her navy and now she depends entirely upon England and Russia for coast protection. She is without railways as a means of transportation and would find ii a physical impossibility to move great bodies of troops from one province to another. By our system of communication mentioned we would be able to alarm every province of the empire in a space of time so short as to arouse the admiration and astonishment of your loasted Western civiliza- tion. “We do not contemplate a war of extermination. It is our intention simply te seize the reins of government, dethrone the present ruler, Kwong Suey, who is a mere puppet, quite plastic in the hands of the shrewd old Dowager Empress, his mother, and the wily Li Hung Chang. The last mentioned is an acknowledged diplomat, who for years has traded on the misfortunes of his country. However humane our intentions may be, I fear it will be a difficult task to preserve the head of this old sinner from the wrath of the people, for the present generation of Chinese attribute many of their country's misfortunes to the wicked Li Hung Chang. “The protection of England and Russia, upon which the government so strongly relles, could scarcely be utilized during internal warfare, so our battle will be one of the people against the powers that be. We are fairly well armed, though our men have not had the advantage of military train- ing, according to the Western idea, still they will serve better than green hands. - If you have taken the trouble to observe, you may have noticed that there are more shooting galleries here in Chinatown, in proportion to the population. than in any other district of San Francisco. This means that our men are forever lln-a.ctlclng' with the rifle and pistol and the pro- prietors of these booths will tell you that they are most excellent marks- men.” W. C. BUNNER.