Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1900-12-07

trade Throughout China.
Proposals SrH Received.
With gratifying la.,.i,nity the re-
sponSes coinsi,;c IN tbs common policy,
enabling me to scs Ia h successful ter-
mination Of these NEGOTIATIONS PROOF OF
the friendly spirit wich nnimates the
various powers inter, A,sd in the ua-
tramneled development oil commerce and
industry in the tn.h,sc cn:.iIe as
source of vast Deneit to the whole COM
mercial world
ification TO announce as a completed en-
gagement to the interested powers on
March20 1900. hope was fully disccrncd
potential factorfor the ;shateme Of the
distcust OF fore,,,n purposes Which for
year past had arr: and to inspire the
policy OF the. impe:..a government and
and authority to quell the critical anti
foreign movement in the northern prov
inces most Immediately Influenced by the
Manchu sentiment
willingness aud ability OF the imperial
administration to rod-ess the wrongs and
the marine guard. which had been sent
to Picking 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 was withdrawn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
far we Were concerned. to the or
binary resorts of Diplomatic intercourse.
GroWth.of Ea1rr UPRISING.
The Chinese government proved how
ever unable TO cneCk the rising
of the Boxers and appeared TO be a prey
to international dissens.ons. In the un-
equal conteat the ant-tcreign influences
soon gained the ascenaency under the, the
armies of Boxers. with which the i'm
perial forces affiliated held the country
between Picking and the coast, penetrated
into Manchuria up to the Russian border.
and through their emis>ares threatened
like rising throughout northern China.
Attacks upon foreigners. destruction of
their II
converts were reported from all sides
The tsung-l-yamen. already permeated
with hostile sympathies, could make no
legations. AT this critical juncture, in
the early spring of this year, proposal
was :, made mad by the other powers that
Chinese waters as Il moral dcmonstra-
ton, under cover of which 10 exact of the
Chinese government respect for foreign
Boxers
The United States, while not participant
ing in the joint demonstration promptly
sent from the Philippines all ships that
could be spared for service on the Chi
nese. coast "A small force of marines
anded at Taka and and sent to Pesn
tion;, Other powers took similar action,
until some 400 men We're assembled in the
capital as legation guards
Capture of rElSu Forts.
still the peril increased. The legations
reported the development OF the seditious
movement in Picking and the need of in
creased provision tor defense against it.
While preparato were in progress for
larger expedition. to strengthen the le-
cation guards and keep the railway open,
Landing at Taku WAS met by fire from
the Chinese forts. The forts were there
upon shelled by the foreign vessels, the
American admiral taking no part in the
attack, on the ground that We We're not
| at war with China and that a hostile dem
| onstration might consolidate the anti-for-
! egn elements and strengthen the Boxers
| to oppose the relieving column.
| Two days later the Taku forts were cap
tured after sanguinary conflict; Sever
lowed. and combined force of additional
guards. WHICH was advancing to Peking
by the Pei-Ho. was checked a Lang Fang.
The siege and the relief of the legations
+ the ST., stirring chapter which records the
hope in the face of despair, and the un-
daunted spirit that led their BELIEVERS
through battle and suffering to the goal,
IT is memory Of which my countrymen
may be justly proud that the honor Of our
nag was maintained alike in the Siege
and the. rescue, and that stout American
hearts have again set high. in fervent
emulation with true men of other race
and language, the indomitable coura sc
that ever strives for the cause of right and
justice.
Murder of German Minister.
BY June 10 the legations were cut of.
An Identical note from the yamen ordered
promised escort. within 81 hours hours. 9 10 gain
time they replied, asking prolongation Of
the time, which was afterwards granted,
tsung- i-yamen on the following day Nc
reply being received. on the morning of
e 2Gh the ne ar mi Baron
response, and on the way was murdered.
5 odS 1 ta le eKsto bv g sbe an to
nese. Armed forces turned out against the
f Leg Their quarters were
n ware at baHdenaa The mission compounds
uge in the British legation, where all the
o. nes lfssgauons and guards gathered for
sons We're crowded in Its narrow compass
Two thousand native converts were as
s sem nf N nearby palace under protec-
| We're strengthened. trenches dug, barri-
cadess raised, and preparations made to
STAND siege, which at once began.
From June 20 until july IT., writes
| Minister Conger, there was scarcely an
s sp9a s9m re part Of our lines and
attack along the Whole ine me '0 ArtiIepy
va Was piaGed around the legations and
| sands of three-inch shells were fired, de-
stroying some buildings and damaging
low, Ave quarts Of Chinese bullets were
gathered IN an hour in one compound
Attempts We're made to burn the lega-
tons by setting neighboring houses on
IRE. but the flames were successfully
| gian, Italian and Dutch legations were
then and subsequently burned. With the
ala atd Of the native converts, directed by
| the missionaries, to whose helpful coon
| Grafton Mr.. Conger awards unstinted
praise, the British legation was made a
Sir Claude Macdonald was chosen gen.
eral commander of the defense, with the
secretary of the American legation. Mr..
e. q. Squters, as chief Of staff
Defense OF the LeYattoners,
To save life and ammunition the he.
sieged sparingly returned the incessant fire
of the Chinese soldiery, 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
unitea a. states marine corps, which result
on the wall that gravely menaced the
American position. 1t was held TO the last.
and proved an invaluable acquisition, be-
which the relief column entered,
During the siege the defenders lost 65
killed, 1876 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. GORE
spondence, however, ensued and sort Of
armistfce was agreed upon, which stopped
the bombardment and lessened the rifle fire
for time Even then no protection what
ever was afforded. nor any aid given, save
to send to the legations small supply of
fruit and three sacks Of -four.
DupIicity of Chinese Government,
Indeed. the only communication had with
the Chinese government related to the oc-
casional delivery or dispatch of telegram
or to the demands of the tsung-li-yamen
for the withdrawal Of the legation to the
coast under escort. Not only are the pro
| testations of the Chinese goVernment dat