The L'Anse sentinel., 1900-12-29
IS TOLD TO SIGN.
Minister ConEer Given Instructions
to Put His Name to Amead-
ed Agreement.


have again gone out to Mr.. Conger, at
Peking, to sign the agreement which,
according to Peking advices, already
has been signed by all of the other
ministers at the Chinese capital.
These instructions are sent with some
reluctance, because the agreement as
IT now stands does not completely rep
resent the view of the United States
government. BUTT is believed to be the
most favorable compromise that could
be reached unless the negotiations are
to be drawn out to dangerous length,
for all reports indicate growing spirit
OF unrest in China, owing to the abb
sence of any form of native govern
ment in Chill and the adjacent prov
inces. So the United States accepts
the irrevocable" condition imposed
upon the Chinese government, though,
after all, this expression is rather a
matter of form, than of substance, for
diplomacy knows no such thing as sir
revocable" agreement.
AS to the British condition that the
occupation Of Peking and Chill is to
continue until China has given satis-
factory proofs of her intention TO
comply with the conditions laid down
in the agreement, it is said that this
will not affect the status of the United
States. Mr.. Conger has. by direction of
his government, notified the other min
listers that the United States forces
will not again be called into China for
the purpose of occupation, that moth.
ing more than legation guard is to
be maintained by us. and the powers
have accepted his condition. 1t there
fore is expected here that the agree
ment will be signed before the end Of
the current month.
Secretary Hays action in instruct
ing Mr.. Conger to sign the joint notes
was approved by the cabinet at the
meeting Friday.
1t is learned here that the agreement
signed by the ministers of the powers
at Peking naming conditions as pre-
liminary to the negotiations of peace
terms contains a demand for the Sc
verest penalties that China can inn
pose in the punishment of the high Off
cials believed to be responsible for the
Boxer outrages. This refers particu-
larly to the IL prominent Chinese no.
bles whose names have been mentioned
in the press dispatches as those whom
some of the nations contended should
be executed Our government has per-
sistently held to the position that pen
alties should not be inflicted on the
Chinese government which she was un-
able to carry out. The demand for the
death penalties was stricken out of the
agreement. and that for the severest
penalties possible inserted. The agree
ment probably will be made public here
to-day if word reaches Washington
that Mr.. Conger has affixed his sigma
ture to it,
Peking, Dec. 22.-Once more there is
pronounced hitch in the proceedings.
The preliminary joint note has not
yet been signed. Mr.. Conger, the Unit
ed States minister, says he does not
believe that there are sufficient rea-
sons why it should not be signed in the
near future, and Sir Ernest Satow. the
British minister. takes the same view.
DR.. Mumm Won Schwartzenstein.
speaking for Germany, believes that
the existing asre&msnt will be signed
sooner or later. The other ministers
also say that they consider the proba-
bilities in favor of signing. Chinese
sources of information. however. say
there is reliable authority for the
statement that there is very little
chance of the note being signed for
some time. As matter of fact. the
members of the staff of Ii Hung Chang
believe that the note will eventually
have to be drawn up either in Europe
or America. probably the latter, be-
cause they claim that the Washington
government has had most to do with
the existing notifications of the vari-
GUS forms of harshness. The United
states are looked upon by the Chinese
as the only power really desiring to
retain the integrity of the Chinese en-
pire. The other powers are regarded
as desirous of breaking il up.
Sir Robert Hart saw Prince Ching
Thursday and advised him against
dallying with the powers in regard
to the punishment of the guilty Off
cials. Prince Ching thought the ex-
ecution of two or three possible and
the lifelong imprisonment of Prince
Tuan quite certain.
London. Dec. ga Representatives
of the press was informed at the for
eign office here Friday that the Joint
note of the powers, which has been
signed by all the ministers at Peking,
will be presented to Prince Ching and
Ii Hung Chang Immediately. The text
will be published as soon as 1t is de-
livered.