Griggs courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., Dak. [N.D.]) 1885-1902, 1900-12-13
M'KlNLEY'S MESSAGE
The Annual Communication of the
President to Congress.
MANY IMPORTANT RECOMMENDATIONS


proves of Ship Subsidy-Proposes
Legislation for the Philippines
and Asks Ratification of Hay
PaunccfOtc Treaty.
Washington, Dec. 4.-The following
Is comprehensive synopsis of the pres
tdent's annual message to congress-:
The president gives first place in his
message to the troubles in China, and
Grating there He reviews the e. ca causes st
leading up to the Boxer outbreak, and
the first murders of foreigners in Chi
says:
The increasing gravity of the conditions
In China and the imminence of peril to our
own diversified interests In the empire, as
well as to those of all the other treaty gov
ernments, We're soon appreciated by this
government, causing it profound solicitude.
of foreign intercourse with China had fol-
lowed a policy of peace. emitting no occa-
sions to testify good will, to further the
extension of lawful trade. to respect the
sovereignty of it's government, and to in
sure by all legitimate and kindly but earn
est means the fullest measure of protec-
abiding citizens and for the exercise of
their beneficent callings among the Chinese
people.
Mindful of this, 1t was felt to be appro-
pirate that our purposes should be pro-
nounced in favor of such course would
hasten united action Of the powers at Pc
30 greatly needed for strengthening the
imperial government and maintaining the
integrity of China, in which we believed the
whole western world to be alike concerned.
To these ends l caused to be addressed to
the several powers occupying territory and
maintaining spheres of influence in China
from them declarations Of their intentions
and views as to the desirablity of the
adoption Of measures insuring the benefits
of equality of treatment OF all foreign
trade throughout China.
Proposals. Well Received.
With gratifying unanimity the re-
sponses coincide in this common policy.
enabling me to see In the successful ter
the friendly spirit which animates the
various powers interested in the un-
t, tran deyeloPmnent Of commerce and
source Of vast benefit to the whole COM
mercial world.
In this conclusion. which had the graf
1hcation to announce completed en-
sagement to the interested powers on
March 20. 1900, hope was fully discerned
2otental factor for the abatement Of the
year past had appeared to inspire the
policy of the imperial government, and
for the effective exertion by it of power
and authority to quell the critical anti
foreign movement in the northern prov
1nces most Immediately influenced by the
Seeking to testify confidence in the
Willingness and ability of the imperial
administration to redress the wrongs and
the marine guard, which had beeo sent
to Peking in the autumn Of 1899 for the
protection Of the legation. was Withdrawn
at the earliest practicable moment, and
all pending questions were RENTED, as
lar as we were concerned. to the
binary resorts of diplomatic intercourse
VigOr OF tle Siege.
ha Of 4
I3evlng the beleaguered legationers in Pc
s;t IS, IS LACKING. and every engagement
Shether our forces We're engaged or not.
70 show the vigor with which the siege
Conger, as follows:
M;I Er9m June; June 20 until July H. writes
hour during which there was not firing
upon some part of our lines and into
some of the legations. varying from a
single shot to general and continuous
attack. along the whole line Artillery
was placed around the legations and on
the sne ove 81 PALACE walls. and thou
stroying some buildings and damaging
oil: So thiekly did thu. balls rain that,
low, five quarts Of Chinese bullets were
gathered in an hour i'll one compound
and recast.
Attempts were made to burn the lega-
tons by setting nelghboring houses on
fire but the flames We're successfully
fought Of although tho, nth, the Austrian. Bel
then and subsequently burned W it'll the
a .. Of Of, the native converts, directed by
the missi on to whose helpful coop.
Grafton Mr.. Conger awards unstinted
praise the British legation was made a
yeritabe fortress. The British minister,
eral commander of the defense. with the
secretary of the American legation, Mr..
E. G. Squers. as chief of staff
Defense of the Le1ationers
To save life and ammunition the be-
sieged sparingly returned the incessant ire
of the Chinese sodiery, fighting only to
repel attack or make an occasional sue
as that of IS Americans. British and Rus
sian marines led by Capt. Myers, of the
United States marine corps. which result
ed IN the capture of formidable barricade
on the wall that gravely menaced the
American position. II was held to the last.
and proved an invaluable acquisition, be-
which the relief column entered
During the siege the defenders lost 65
killed 1875 wounded and seven by disease
the last all children.
On July IA the besieged had their first
communication with the tsung-li-yamen.
from whom message came inviting to a
conference, which was declined. Core
spondence. however. ensued and a sort OF
armistice was agreed upon, which stopped
the bor:.srdment and lessened the rifle fire
for tine. Even then no protection what
ever was afforded, nor any aid given save
to send to the legations a small supply Of
fruit and three sacks of -four.
Duplicity of Chinese Governments.
Indeed. the only communication had with
the Chinese government related to the oc-
casional delivery or dispatch of a telegram
or to the demands Of the tsung-i-yamen
for the withdrawal Of the legation to the
coast under escort Not only are the pro-
testatons of the Chinese government tina I
1t protected and succored the legations
positively contradicted. but irresistible
proof accumulates that the attacks upon
them were made by imperial troops. regu-
larly uniformed, armed and ofiicered, be-
longing to the command of Jung Luz the
imperial commander In chief DEGREES en-
couraging the Boxers. organizing them I'M
der prominent imperial officers. provision
ing them, and even granting them large
sums in the name of the empress dowager.
are known to exist. Members Of the
tsung-li-yamen who counseled protection
of the foreigners were beheaded Even in
the distant provinces men suspected Of for
eign sympathy were put to death, promi-
nent among these being Chang Yen Hoon,
formerly Chinese minister In Washington
With the negotiation of the partial arm
istice of July "a. proceeding which was
doubtless promoted by the REPRESENTATIONS
Of the Chinese envoy in Washington, the
way was opened for the conveyance to Mr.
Corser Of a test message sent by the sec
Minister WI Ting Fang. Mr.. Conger's re-
ply. dispatched from Picking on July IS
through the same channel, afforded to the
Ct ,@rI@ NJ (~rt = l.