The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-03-16
FEARS FOR THE OPEN DOOR.
EMPRESS DOWAGER PERsECUTING
THE REFORMERs.

May Lead to Rebellion and Anarchy
which Would Upset the Open Door
decentralization on the Part OF
the Powers Is Acknowledgement
can Warship to he Sent to China
Coast on Account of Attacks on
Missionaries.
Shanghai, March 15.-The American AS
sociation here telegraphed to the United
States government to-day that the atti-
tude of the Empress Dowager toward the
reformers. will upset The "open door, pol-
icy.
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.
The China association will appeal to the
British minister Sir Claude Mcdonald. on
the same subject.
Prosecuting the RefOrmers
Washington, March 15.-T'he cablegram
from the American Association mas been
received at the state department and is
under serious consideration.
The Empress Dowager is prosecuting
with relentless hatred the reform party,
going so far as to resort to the barbarous
practice Of Offering a large sum of money
for the assassination of leading reform
ers.
This reform element in China is believ-
ed to include nearly all of the Chinese who
are disposed 90 elevate China into a civ
ilized nation, following in the footsteps
of Japan They realize that this can only
be done with the help of foreigners, and
are therefore disposed to the "open door
as one of the measures to liberalize and
enlighten China through the introduction
of foreign capital and foreign methods.
1t is assumed that the basis of this
representation from the American Associa-
ton is an apprehension that the couserva-
tive party surrounding the Empress Dow
ager in satisfying their animosity against
the refOrmers, will excite the dormant anti
foreign feeling among the masses of Chin
ese to a degree that will make the "open
door impossible of attainment
VIII Send a Warship.
ut is curious fact that our minister
to China, Mr. Conger, so far has made
no representations to the state department
touching this subject He has reported
20 the department that serious attacks
nave been made upon the American ms
slons in Shan Tung by the Boxers a
powerful and numerous anti-foreign
league of China 1t is his same organi-
zation which has attacked some of the
French missionaries in that quarter of
China and have even carried their opera
tons TO the very doors of Kiau Chau, the
German holding in North China.
Upon the minister's representa- tions, the
state department has decided that an
American warship shall be dispatched
from the fleet al Manila to the nearest
convention port to the seat of discord,
probably IN this case Taku, at the mouth
of the Peho river, or Wei-Hai-Wei. 1t
is expected, however, that the Chinese
government will be able 10 repress the
Boxers" without any action on the part
of the American warshiD.
1t is distinctly understood that this lit
tie naval demonstration will have no con-
nection with the struggle now going on
between the Empress Dowager's party
and the reformers, but this may be regard
ed as a matter of purely internal politics,
with which our government has no right
to concern itself. 1t is probable therefore
that this decision on our part indicates
the character of the response that viii b
made by the department of stale to the
cablegram from the American Assocla-
ton