Evening star., 1900-10-04
REPLY TO GERMANY
This Government Agrees to the
Latest Proposal.
PUNISHMENT OF CHINESE CRIMINALS
Instructions in Accordance Sent to
Minister Conger.


| The United States government today made
| another decisive move in the Chinese situa-
| ton. 1t was in the form of an extended
| note delivered this morning by Secretary
| Hay to the German charge d'affaires,
Baron Speck Won Sternberg announcing the
hearty and favorable concurrence of this
government in the views lately advanced
by Germany as to seeing that the Chinese
offenders were punished with due regard to
| their offenses and without any oversight
as to the responsible ringleaders. The
American note also announced that, in exc
Cution of this concurrence in the German
! desires. instructions had already been sent
| to the United States minister at pekin
| Mr.. Conger, to carry out the purposes on
which Germany and the United States are
| now brought into agreement. The instruc-
| tons to Minister Conger specifically direct
| him to ascertain the names of the Chinese
personages whom it is proposed to punish,
also to learn whether the punishment to
| be visited upon them is adequate to the
grave offenses they have committed and
encouraged, and finally to determine tnat
| the punishments had been administered in
accordance with the pledges given by the
Chinese government.
In short, while the United States and Ger
| many are agreed that China herself should
proceed toward the punishment of those
| who have offended against her peace and
that of the world at large, the two govern
mentS will at the same time adopt means
to insure that there shall be no miscar-
riage of this work of justice, but that it
shall be ample to fit the crimes.
A Most Important Move.
The American note to Germany is regard
ed one Of the most important moves
thus far made. not only in fixing the course
of events in China. but in giving formal
expression to a most satisfactory state of
feeling which has lately arisen between
the governments at Berlin and Washing
ton. That has come about after several ex-
tended conferences between Secretary Hay
and Baron Sternberg. all of them looking
toward common action by the two govern
ments. AS stated yesterday, the point now
under consideration Is the supervision by
the ministers of the powers at Pekfn of
the punishments to be administered by the
Chinese authorities. The desires of Ger
many in this matter were expressed at
length and were communicated to the Pres
ident.
They met with the most hearty approval
in presidential quarters, as they were sen
to be in line with what the United States
had announced as one of its chief aims
viz, to hold the guilty parties to the ut
termost accountability for their wrongdo-
ing. AS result Secretary Hay prepared
the note delivered this morning, and 1t was
Immediately cabled to the Berlin foreign
Office.
VIII Create a Favorable Feeling.
1t is felt here that the American note will
create a most favorable impression in Ber-
lin, and will prove another bond between
the two governments. It has been realiz-
ed that after the last note to Germany
some friction was manifested in the Ger
man press and that the accord between
Germany and the United States as to the
means Of dealing with China might be
strained If not broken. For that reason
the recent negotiatf tfons have taken on add
ed interest and significance, and the hearty
concurrence which has now been prought
about is looked upon as little short or a
triumph in international comfy, ana one
alike satisfactory to the United States ana
to Germany.
The Guilty Leaders.
The instructions to Minister Conger DIS
close the firmness with which this govern
ment will gee that the punishments are ao-
ministered The chief personages guilty
of the outrages have been taken into con-
sderation during the latest negotiations,
and it can be stated that foremost. among
them are Prince Tuan, Chao Shu, Chiao
and Kang vi Except Tuan, these names
have been little mentioned among those
officials China has marked for punishment
but they are none the less those VINO nave ma
had much to do with the outrages, and they
will be held to the uttermost accountability.
The text Of the German suggestions as to
| the punishment Of offenders, as given in
the press dispatches from Berlin, Is IN line
with the plan which Baron Speck Won
Sternberg has so earnestly urged before
Secretary Hay within the last few days,
and to which the favorable response OF the
United States was communicated to the
German charge d'affaires today.
Yung Lu Unsatisfnctory as Commis-
The State Department has been making
some inquiries as to the extent to which
Yung Lu, one of the peace negotfators
appointed by the emperor, participated in
the Boxer troubles. 1t Is believed that
these inquiries have at least developed
some things unfavorable to the acceptance
Of Yung Lu, whose tendencies have been
anti-foreign, as a satisfactory person with
whom to conduct negotiations. A rather
guarded statement is made that this gov
ernment has not formally objected" to
Yung LUIS appointment, leaving the In
| ference to be drawn that its preference Is
against him being so honored-
Franco-Russian Proposal.
The French government, through M.
Thiebaut, the French charge, has presented
| to Secretary Hay a program for the COM
| plete settlement of the Chinese difficulty.
and at the same time the Russian govern
ment, through NJ de WoIant seconds the
French proposal, thus making 1t joint
Franco Russian proposition. The proposal
| is under four heads, as follows:
| First, punishment of the guilty Chinese
| officials: second. the interdiction of arms
and munitions of war to China; third, the
payment of indemnity to the powers, and
| fourth, sufficient Chinese guarantee for the
future.
The proposal further asks for compe-
| tent legation guard at Pekin, the razng of
| the Taku forts and their destruction, and
| the establishment Of a line of communica-
| ton between the seaboard and Pekin This
! Franco Russian proposal has been sent to
| the President.
WITHDRAWAL FROM CHINA.
! ArranRements to Take the TrOOps to