Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-10-20
A GREAT CONSPIRACY
Plot to Drive the Foreigners Out of
China.
BACKED BY THE EMPRESS DOWAGPR
Only Failed Because the Boxers
Got Beyond All Control.
MIR. CONGER'S OPPORTUNITY


Copyright, 1900, by Frank G. CarpenterD
Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
SHANGHAI September I. 1900.
The evidence of a great conspiracy to
drive all foreigners out of the country is
steadily accommodating. This conspiracy
seems to have been organized by the Chi
neSe government 1t was headed by the
empress dowager and most of the high Off
Gals are implicated in it. 1t is a con-
spiracy to Gust from China everything for
eign and every foreigner. 1t is conspir-
acy which has been Matching since the
close of the Chinese-Japanese war and
which had It not been preciptated by the
Boxer uprising might have resulted in the
massacre of every foreigner and the de-
structiOn of every piece of foreign property
in the empire. Such is the belief of many
of the oldest residents of China. foreigners
who are acquainted with foreign methods
business men as well as missionaries. They
think that the powers are being deceived
by the Chinese diplomats and laugh at the
idea of the Boxers being the cause OF the
trouble.
A War Not "a Rebellion.
Said an American who has been connect
ed with Chinese matters in diplomatic
and business way for more than twenty
five years to me the other night
There are two things about the situa-
ton which you must bear in mind. The
first Is that this crusade is not anti-mis-
sionary but anti-foreign. and the second
mar II is a war and not a rebellion. as our
government would have us believe. The
Chinese so recognize it. The Boxers Were
organized by the empress doWaser as a
part of the force with which she hoped TO
suear all foreigners into the sea They
were Maid ont of the imperial exchequer.
they were armed from the imperial
arsena1s and Prin 2 Tuan and Kang vi
were in an imperial edict. appointed the
leaders of what some would have us call
This rebel band
documents have been found in the vice.
regal vamen at Tien'TSIn when lncrlmlhdte
the imperial government beyond all hope
of escape. Among these are lists of Boxers
receipts of awards paid to Boxers for Tor
eign heads. receipts for arms, ammunluoh
and stores supplied by the government 10
Boxer leaders, and also the imperial edlcts
of June y and August ? ordering the eS-
termination Of all foreigners IN emma.
The extent of the conspiracy mas not Ee'
n nTv5i ii Hung chang We're nrobabiy in
It,
How the Conspiracy Ortginated.
rba be,irnine of this consniracv 80 il Is
neIieves was shortly after the close of the
1.,,nasa uar The emnress 5owaeer
pri,oo Two, Ka,g vi II Hum, Chang
49,. so.,,a.,t,,x 80 H., AN,
et cetcra' Sd" IhaI Something hiu9l pe uoiie
at once. or they would be ousted from
power. All over CHINA the thlnklng classes
were discussing the result Of the war
and possible reforms reform party
Sprang up, about thirty newspapers were
established, and tracts proposing the west
ernizing of China We're distributed in many
quarters. Some OF the reformers got 10
Pekin and several even to the emperor him
self The head of these was kang fu Wei.
the man who is now In hiding outside of
China with reward of 100000 taels (S15-
OOo) upon his head. Kang Yu Wei had per-
suaded the emperor to adopt the new civil
cation His majesty had planned to intro
duce all sorts of modern methods into
China, including a thorough reorganization
of the empire when the empress dowager,
fearing the result caused his deposition
and irnprisonment in the palace and again
took the government into her own hands
She organized a reign of terror NOT on'y in
PaLin nm In all narts NJ China and since
favor Of foreigners or foreign methods has
had 10 work hard TO keen not only his Off
cial hut his nhvsicaI head on his shoulders
-,
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IN ~ an 81 - Vi pollisLhheh's. oie
9i the poJectS oi her rage LOT instance, was
Nii usii oi'!; tiir Heau Oh tne 'eie-
eiapia me- a. oIiahsiial. Whth the news
rame OF the Imprisonment OF the emperor.
kln sent petition signed by himself and
'housahu olhef IhlheSe' 10 ine dOWager
ashiHs una. tile emperor De aio"ed 10 re-
sumo me relns OF government, and stating
ma 'hiS oilS "ouiu sdtisly the people
W hei ms iheiioiia was presented 10 the
Sh'Pies@ uo"aSeI she - saiu 10 nave ialTly
sot'1 up anu t Gown IN ne. rage. her o.
Ia, NJ. were Lerriiied, anu they lrempIed lest
'ie .u aiseI shpuiu oe "reaheu upon tnem
no mas uaFea 10 seho such a Telegram
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80 y. d a., Nlian anu o'ei 'housfhu oth-
70 .i eptS:
..',u - Vel, ai9 "eIeu 'ne oiu empress
:" ~ oito" .iteili NV we uedi WIN TRAIT
ois VII 1. t Cyl pd'n
.aIIS siite Stens, me oirector OF all the
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