Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-03-16
In China In Danger Of Be-
ing Upset at Once.
BY EMPRESS D0WAGER
State Department is Considering the
Protest Sent in by the American
observation-disclosures Has Been
Heard From Minister C0nger.

Shanghai. March 15.-The American as
sociation here today telegraphed to the
limited States government that the attl-
tude of the empress dowager toward the
reformers will upset the open-door policy.
They also say rebellion and anarchy are
expected, to the detriment OF foreign IN
terests, and advocate prompt, concerted
action on the part of the powers. Inc
China association will appeal to the Brit
ish minister on the same subject.
Washington, March 15.-The cablegram
from the American association mas zee"
received at the state department.. IL mas
not yet been acted upon, but is under Sc
rious consideration. At first reading IL IS
not lust clear what connection exists pc
tween the attitude of the Chinese dow
ager empress towards the reform element
in China and the open-door policy. IN
which the United States, with the re-
mainder of the civilized world, is inter-
ested. 1t is recalled, however, that the
empress dowager is prosecuting with re-
lentless hatred the reform party, gong
50 far as to resort to the barbarous prac-
tice of Offering a large sum OF money TOT
the assassination Of leading rerormefs.
This reform element in China Is believed
to incIu0P nearly All vi lie IA "AAo
are disposed to elevate China into a civil
lied nation, following in the footsteps of
Japan.
They realize that this can only be done
with the help of foreigners and are there
fore favorably disposed to the open-door
as one of the measures to liberate n
%enljghte China through the Introduction
of foreign capital and foreign methods.
It is assumed that the basis of this rep
resentation from the American associa-
tion is an apprehension that the conserv-
alive party surrounding the empress
dowager, in satisfying their amnesty
against the reformers, will excite the
dormant ~anti-foreign feeling among the
masses Of china to a degree that will
make the open-door impossible Of attain
ment.
1t is a curious fact that our minister to
China. Mr.. Conger. has so far made no
representations to the state department
touching this subject. He has reported
to the department that serious attacks
have been made upon the American mis-
sions in shan Tung by the Boxers" a
powerful and numerous anti-fOreign
league of Chinese. 1t is the same or
ganization which has attacked some OF
the French missionaries in that quarter
of China and has even carried opera
tons TO the very doors of Kiao Chaou,
the German holdings in north China.
Upon the minister's representation the
state department has decided that an
American warship shall be dispatched
from the fleet at Manila to the nearest
convenient port to the seat of dlscord
probe bly, in this case Taku. at the moutt
of the Pfeho river, or Wei Hal Wei. L
is expected. however. hat the Chinese
government Will be able to repress tht
"BoNers' without any action on the par
of the American warship. It is distinctl.
understood that this little naval demon
%stration will Y no connection with TIL
struggle now going on between the EN-
press doWager's party and the reformers
for this may be regarded as a matter Q
purely internal politics, with which OF
government has no right to concer
itself. 1t is probable. therefore, that thi
decision on our part indicates the char
acter Of the response that will be mad
by the department of state to the cable
gram from the American association.