The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-12-21


PEKIN. Dec 2f-WhiIe the ministers
have agreed upon the text Of the preiiuai-
nary note 10 be presented to the Chinese
plenipetentiaries. it has not yet been sign
ed The manner in which Mr.. Conger, the
Uni;e3 States Minister spoke at the meet
ing OF the foreign representative indieat-
ed that the note would De signed Saturday,
but 1t was evident to ali that. If the sig
natures are not afsxed now. there viii
probably be a further delay, lasting for
weeks
Ar. Conger was unwilling that the
United tSates should assume Responsible
ty for the delay and asked everybody 10
have It determined finally not to change
the note. All the ministers agreed to this
and another meeting was nela yesterday
for the purpose Of signing the note But
at this meeting it was decided to wait
until the translation OF the document into
Chinese had been completed This work
is being done By the interpreters OF the
allies and. with the English and French
tFanslations. VIII De presented at the first
Joint meeting with the Chinese pienipo-
tentiaries.
A place for the joint meeting has not
yet been selected. The Chinese enveys
ssfIl think it should be held in the great
temple of Buddha while the ministers
insist that It shall take place at one Of
the legations
The English modification Of the pre-
iirninary note Is to the effect that the
Government cannot agree to the eyaeua-
ton of PeRin and the Province Of Chilli
by the allied forces until the Chinese
Government has satisfied the Powers that
ali the terms oE the note WI be COM
piled with.
There has been some question as to
what viii satisfy the Powers less than the
entire demands. Persons familiar with the
Chinese say there will be nc serious op-
position to any of the demands, but that
the Chinese Commissioners viii have to
make show of opposition TO save their
faces Chinese term really meaning to
save their heads. Hence. it is probabls
that Ii Hung Chang and Prince Ching viii
make propositions The word ng
OF the preliminary note certainly invites
dickering.
The kilIiag of Chinese IS still fasbiona-
bic in Pekin. To-day the Germans hehead-
ed thirteen for some trivial offences which
in the United States would be punished
with short terms OF Imprisonment. The
Germans appear to have no regard what
ever for the lives of Cinnamon. The Eng
lish also put three Cinnamon to death to-
day.
A Catholic native. who has visited the
villages near here, returned TO Pekin to-
day. He reports that the native Christ
iSns are 1evying nlackmail on the Chinese
everywhere and committing depredations
of all kinds. The effort to suppress gamb-
ing md opium joints in the American
district has aforded the native Christians
q splendid opportunity for levying black
mall. They knew the location of these
resorts and visited the proprietors. from
whom they forced money Tor protection =
These natives are so shrewd in covering
up their tracks that it has been found i'm
possible to prevent them from carrying
on this sort of work. and the officials IN
charge of the district are seriously con-
siderfng tie advisability Of legalizing vice.
LONDON, Dec. 2I-A despatch to the
Pail Mall Gazette" from Pekin. dates
yesterday, says:
The general basis Of the preliminary
note was agreed on today Tie signing
of the note was deferred, pending de-
cision BY America. It is considered Ger
tain that there will be objections to some
OF the Details