The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-12-31
China Instructs Her Represen-
tative to Sign Joint Note.
viii Trust Powers to Deal Len
iently With Her.
WHOLLY UNEXPECTED.
Nobody Supposed the Empress
Would Yield SO Soon.
Minister Wu Finds 1t Hard to
Believe the Report.


tantiaries have been Unexpectedly or
aared to sign the preliminary joint note.
and have notified the foreign ENJOYS to
that effect
The Chinese themselves were greatly
sstonished at receiving the imperial in
structions. Neither Ii Hung Chang nor
Prince Ching had expected success in
persuading the court under ten days.
The emperors instructions are to
agree fully to the note. but to endeavor
to get the best terms possible particu-
larly in the matter Of limiting the num-
Der Of the legation guards and also as
to the places where these are to be To-
Gated
The pIenipotentiaries are instructed
to endeaxor to limit the number of army
posts along the line Of railway to as
few as possible, and, finally, to request
the powers not to destroy the forts, but
merely to disarm them.
Ii Hung ChanE's health is bad, and it
IS doubtful whether he viii be able to
do more than affix his signature to an
instrument delegating his powers to
Prince Ching until another plenipOten-
tiary has been appointed He was
dressed this morning and carried in a
chair to the residence of Prince Ching
with whom he held a long consultation.
Prince Ching then called upon the dean
OF the diplomatic corps. the Spanish
minister. Senor de COlogan, and request
ed him to notify the other ENJOYS that
Instructions had been received from the
emperor to sign the note.
COURT TO RETURN.
Shanghai, Dec. 31.-There are persist
ent reports in circulation here that the
Imperial court is preparing to return to
Pelzin. Chinese adVices from the capital
horses have been dispatched to Tai
Yuenfu TO meet and bring back the i'm
peria1 personages and their encourage.
It Is also asserted that Emperor
X
Chih. former governor of the province
of Shansi. to Sianfu to accompany him
to Pekin
The Menann,edan rising in the prov
ince Of Kan Su is spreading, and the
troops Of the viceroy of the province of
IIu Nan are alone unable to hold their
own against the rebels.
WASHINGTON Is PLEASED.
Washington. Dec. -31.-The report that
the Chinese plenipotentiaries had been
directed to sign the joint note is a source
Of satisfaction to officials here as indi-
eating a disposition on the part OF the
Chinese government to heed the desire
Of the powers that negOt OtiatiOns shall
be entered on at once and the present
unsatisfactory condition Of affairs ter
minated
The emperor It was expected. would
instruct his agents to obtain the best
terms possible. One Of the principal OBJ
5ectfons said to have been made by the
Chinese TO the location of any great
number Of legation guards in PeEin is
that these guards would be q menace
TO the existing Chinese government As
has already been stated in these dis
patches. the United States government
does not desire the absolute demolition
Of the Takl1 forts. but simply their dis
nlantlenlent. so that ready access to the
Chinese capital of a foreign force would
not be prevented. The demand of the
powers IN the joint note. however, was
for the destruction Of the forts.
The Inquiries said to have been made
-
voys. Of which inquiries, however, TO
official fntimatiOn has been received
from Mr. Conger. have been regarded
by the officials Of this government as
reasonable and because Of this more de-
lay than has occurred was expected in
the courts direction for the signature of
the note Nothing has come from Mr..
COnger regarding the status of the note
since a cablegram from him some days
ago announcing that 1t had been pre-
santed to the Chinese.
Mr.. Wu. the Chinese minister, IS some
what puzzled as to just what construc-
tfor to place on the PelSin dispatch. All
along he has regarded the demands con-
veyed in the joint note as harsh and Sc
we're, and the statement that it had been
signed causes him surprise He IS in
clined to believe that. in all probability
what the emperor has directed is that
the Chinese plenipOtentiaries should dis
cuss in a friendly manner with the eE-
Voys the terms Of the agreement, with a
view. as stated in the Pekin dispatch
10 obtain the best terms possible along
certain specified lines and also in others
not contained in the cablegram.
WANT TO BEGIN AT ONCE
London Dec. 31--Wiring to the Times
from Pelzin yesterday, DR. Morrison
says:
The Chinese have accepted all the
conditions OF the joint note They are
sending formal acceptance by an envoy
and ask that negotiataoIis should com
mence forthwith and military operations
cease
Ii Hung Chang is much better. al
though greatly shaken.
Five expeditions are now oneratfues
Every report tells of increasing unrest
The policy of depriying the Chinese of
all power TO exercise authority is snread-
ing disorder broadcast and forcing
peaceful Chinese into opposition.
II a dispatch dated December % DR..
Morrison sends a long protest against
German harshness. which. he saws. is
creating instead of checking disorder
he accuses the Germans of harrying the
country and Furnishing the innocent and
the guilty fndischiminateIy in order to
levy fines for defraying their own militia
~ expenses and to form an excuse for
continued hostile occupation
He also charges Count Won Waldersee
with a breach of faith on the ground
that he gave Ii Hung Chang map de-
timing the area Of the occupation in the
- NNince Of Chi Ii and indicated the dis
trici beyond which the allies would not
operate. and yet allowed the German
troops to tnfict severe punishment upon
the Chinese at Tsangehau and ynne--
area
Repeating his statement that the Ger