The Yale expositor., 1900-12-07
THE PRESIDtNI y MESSAGE.
The Government of Our Acquired
Territory.
CHINA MUST PUNISH AND PAY.
The Enormous Trade of the Country
Sound Financial Condition and GEN
eral Prosperity-rhe Army-Cubas
Freedom-rorto Rico's Needs.

The northern provinces. Their origin lies
deep in the character of the Chinese races
and in the traditions of their government
The TAPPING rebellion and the opening OF
Chinese ports to foreign trade and settle
ment disturbed alike the homogeneity and
the secluson of China.
Meanwhile foreign activity made itself
felt in all quarters, not alone on the coast,
but along the great river arteries and in
the remoter districts, carrying new ideas
and introducing new associations among
q primitive people which had pursued for
centuries national policy of isolation.
The telegraph and the railway spreading
over the land, the steamers plying on their
waterways the merchant and the mission
airy penetrating year by. year farther to
the interior, became to the Chinese mind
types of an alien invasion, changing the
course of their national life and fraught
with vague forebodings of disaster to
their beliefs and their self-control.
For several years before the present
troubles all the resources of foreign
diplomacy, backed by. moral demonstra-
tons of the physical forces of fleets and
arms, have been needed to secure due re-
spects for the treaty rights of foreigners
and to obtain satisfaction from the re-
sponsible authorities for the sporadic out
RACES upon the persons and property of
unoftending soJourners. which from time
TO time occurred at widely separated
roints in the northern provinces, as in the
case of the outbreak in Sze-Chucn and
Shantung.
The tect commonly styled the Boxers. de-
veloped greatly in the provinces north of
the Yang-Tse, and with the collision of
many notable Officials, including some i'm
the immediate councils of the throne IT.
self, became alarmingly aggressive. No
foreigners life. outside of the protected
treaty ports, was safe. No foreign inter-
est was secure from spoliation.
The diplomatic representatives of the
powers in Felin stove in vain to check
this movement Protest was followed by
demand and demand by renewed protest,
so be met with perfunctory edicts from
the palace and evasive and futile assur-
ances from the tsung Ii yamen. The cir
Gle of the Boxer influence narrowed about
fekin, and while nominally stigmatized as
seditious, it was felt that its spirit per-
Vaded the capital itself, that the imperial
forces were imbued with it's doctrines,
and that the immediate counselors of the
empress dowager We're in full sympathy
with the anti-foregn movement.
Our Policy, Peace.
The increasing gravity of the conditions
In China and the imminence of peril to
our own diversified interests in the en-
pire, as well as to those Of all other treaty
governments. were soon appreciated by
this government. causing it profound SOL
icitude. The United States, from the ear
lest days of foreign intercourse with
emitting no occasion to testify good will,
to further the extension of lawful trade,
10 respect the sovereignty of its govern
nlent, and to insure by all legitimate and
s1indly but earnest means the fullest
measure Of protection of our law abiding
citizens and for the exercise of their bene-
q.
Mindful of this it was felt to be appro-
pirate that our purposes should be pro-
nounced in favor of such course as would
hasten united action of the powers at Pc
Kin to promote the administrative reforms
so greatly needed for strengthening the
imperial government and maintaining the
integrity of China, in which we believed
the whole western world to be alike con-
-cerned. TO these ends l caused TO be ad-
dressed to the several powers occupying
territory and maintaining spheres of in
fuence in China tho circular proposals of
1899, inviting from them declarations of
their intentions and views as to the de-
STABILITY OF the adoption of measures in
surfing the benefits of equality of treat
ment of all foreign trade throughout
China.
With gratifying unanimty the responses
conceded in this common policy, enabling
me to see in the successful termination of
these negotia items proof of the friendly
spirit which animates the various powers
interested in the untrammelcd develop
'ment of commerce and industry in the
Chinese empire as source of vast benefit
TO the whole commercial world.
In this conclusion, which i had the
qualification to announce as COM
pleted arrangement to the interested
powers on March 20. 1900, I hopefully
discerned q potential factor for the aba e-
ment of the distrust of foreign purposes
Which for tno osn S had to
tnent. and for the effective exertion by it
OF power and authority to quell the Grill
cal anti-foreign movement IN the north
cnced by the manchu sentiment
Seeking to testify confidence in the will
ingness and ability of the imperial add
ministration 10 redress tho wrongs and
prevent the evils we suffered and feared,
the marine guard, which had been sent to
Pekin in the autumn of 1899 for the pro-
lection OF the legation, WIS withdrawn at
the earliest practicable moment. and all
pending questions were RENTED, as FAR
as we were concerned, to the ordinary re-
sorts OF diplomatic intercourse.
Tho Chinese government proved. how
ever, unable TO check the rising strength
of the Boxers and appeared to be Il prey
20 internal diSSenSiOuS. IN the unequal
contest tho ant-forcign influences soon
gained the ascendancy under the leader
ship Of Prince Tuan; Organized armies i
affiliated, held the country between Pekin
and tho coast, penetrated into Manchuria
up to tho Russian border, ana through
their emissarles threatened a like rising
throughout northern China.
Attacks upon foreigners, destruction OF
their property and slaughter OF native
converts were reported from all sides
Tho tsung II yamen already permcated
with hostile sympathy. could make no
effective response to the appeals OF the
legations. At this critical juncture. in the
carly spring OF this year. proposal was
made by the other powers that COM
bned fleet should be assembled in Chi
reese waters as a moral demonstration,
under cover OF which To exact of the Chi
nese government respect for foreign
treaty rights and the suppression of the
Boxers
The Guilty Chinks.
Tho Siege and the relief of the legations
has passed into undying history. In all
the stirring chapter which records the
heroism of the devoted band, cliugng TO
hope in the face OF despair. and the un-
daunted spirit that led their BELIEVERS
through battle and suffering 20 the goal.
1t is n memory of which my countrymen
may be justly proud that the honor of
our flag was maintained alike I'm the
siege and the rescue and that stout
American hearts have again set high. in
fervent emulation with true mcn OF other
race and language. the indomitablc cour-
age that ever strives for the cause OF
right and justice.
The president treats Mt length OF the
struggle 10 relieve the legations and says:
Not only are the protestatious OF the
Chinese government that II protested and
euccored tho legations positively con
tradicted, hut Irresistible proof accumu
iates that the attacks upon them were
made by imperial troops, regularly uni
formed. armed and Differed. belonging to
the command Of Jung Iu. the imperial
comma nder in-chicf. DEGREES encourage
ing tho Boxers. organizing them under