Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1900-12-06
M'KINLEY'S MESSAGE
The Annual Communication of the
President to Congress.
MANY IMPORTANT RECOMMENDATIONS
Outlines Our Policy In Chfna-Ap-
Legislation for the Philippines
and Asks Ratification of Hay
P~auncefOte Treaty.

Washington, Dec. 1.-THE following
is a comprehensive synopsis of the pres
ident's annual message to congress:
The president gives first place in his
onT ca5ne 10 the vf tToIPles IN Chin a and
Grating there. He reviews the causes
leading up to the Boxer outbreak, and
the first murders of foreigners in Chi
nese territories. In this connection he
says:
in China and the imminence of peril to our
own diversified interests in the empire, as
well as to those of all the other treaty gov
ernments, were soon appreciated by this
government, causing 1t profound solicitude.
Of foreign intercourse with china bs6 pSS SIs
lowed a policy of peace, emitting no occa-
sions to testify good will, to further the
extension of lawful trade, to respect the
sovereignty of its government and to in
sure by all legitimate and kindly but earn
ton for the lives and property of our law
abiding citizens and for the exercise of
their benefcent callinss among the Chinese
people.
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
king to promote the administrative reforms
imperial government and maintaining the
integrity of China, in which we believed the
whole western world to be alike concerned.
To these ends I caused to be addressed to
the several powers occupying territory and
maintaining spheres of influence in China
from them declarations of their intentions
and views as to the destrability of the
adoption of measures insuring the benefits
of equality of treatment of all foreign
trade throughout China.
Proposals Well Received
sp wisa e s5iatifyang n tpis e9mgon the eolic cs.
enabling me to see in the successful ter
mination of these negotiations proof of
the friendly spirit which animateS the
various powers interested in the I'M
tramTceled development of and
source of vast benefit to the whole COM
mercial world
In this conclusion, which I had the graf
lhcatlon to announce as a completed en-
gagement to the interested powers on
March2O; 1900. I hope was fully discerned a
potential factorfor the abatement of the
distrust of foreign purposes which for a
year past had appeared to inspire the
for the effective exertion by it of power
and authority to quell. the critical anti
foreign movement in the northern. prov
inceS most Immediately influenced by the
Manchu sentiment.
Seeking to testify confidence in the
willingness and ability of the imperial
administration to redress 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
all pending questions were RENTED, as
far as we were concerned. to the or
oInary resorts OF diplomatic intercourse
VigOr OF the Siege.
TIL history of the efforts made at re-
Heving the b~eleaguered Iegationers in Pc
detail is lacking. and every engagement
with the Chinese forces is mentioned,
TO show the Vigor with WHICH the siege
OF the legations was pushed by the Chi
Conger, as follows:
From June 20 until July IT," writes
hour during which there was not firing
upon some part of our lines and into
some OF the legations. varying from a
single Shnf fn q Onnaro on6 annffnTrnrro
attack along the whole line" ARTILLERY
was placed around the legations and on
sands of three-inch shells were fired, de-
stroying some buildings and damaging
when the ammunition Of the besieged ran
low, five quarts of Chinese bullets were
gathered in an hour in one compound
Attempts were made to burn the lega-
fire. but the flames were su nSassi HH
fought of, although the Austrian. Bel
then and subsequently burned. With the
aid of the native converts directed by
Grafton MI. Conger Awards isipr unst f0fp3
yeritable fortress. The British minister,
eral commander of the defense. with the
E. G. Squiers, as chief OF STAFF.
Defense of the L~egatfoners.
To save life and ammunition the be-
sieged s~paringly returned the incessant fire
o. II SuIueSG OlQlSTJ nRnJlnR 0nIV to
repel attack or make an Occasional sue
cessful sortie for strategic advantage, such
as that of So Americans, British and Rus
sian marines led by Capt. Myers, of the
United States marine corps, which result
ed in the capture of a formidable barricade
American position. 1t was held to the la st
and proved an invaluable acquisition. be-
cause commanding the water gate through
which the relief column entered.
During the siege the defenders lost IS
killed, 15 wounded and seven by disease
the laRf al nh4ldrnn
On July II the besieged had their first
communication with the ts~ung-li-yamen,
conference, which was declined. Core
spondence, however, ensued and a sort of
the bombardment and lessened the rife IRE
for a time Even then no protection what
ever was afforded. nor any aid given, save
to send to the legations a small supply of
fruit and three sacks of -four.
Duplicity of Chinese Government.
Indeed. the only communication had with
the Chinese government related to the oc-
casional delivery or dispatch of a Telegram
or to the emandS of the tsung-li-vamen
for the withdrawal of the legation to the
coast under escort. Not only are the pro-
festations of the Chinese government that
it protected and succored the legations
proof accumulates that the attacks upon
them were made by imperial troops, regu-
larly uniformed. armed and Differed, be
longing to the omman OF Jung Lu. the
imperial commander in chief. DEGREES en-
couraging the Boxers, organizing them I'M
~ SAA(SASN III Wv "
ing them, and even granting them large
sums in the name of the impress dowager,
are known to exist. Members of the
tsung-li-yamen who counseled protection
of the foreigners were ~beheaded. Even in
the distant provinces men suspected of for
eign sympathy were put to death, promi-
nent among these being Chang Yen-Hoon,
formerly Chinese minister in Washington.
with the negotiation Of the partial arm
tstice of Juiy Il. a proceeding which was
doubtless promoted by the representations
of the Chinese envoy in Washington, the
way was opened for the conveyance to Mr..
rotary of state through the kind Offices of
Minister WI Ting-Fang. Mr.. Conger's re-
ply, dispatched from Picking on July Is
through the same channel, afforded to the
outside world the first tidings that the in
mates of the legations were still alive and
hoping for succor.
Preparations for Relief.
All the preparations for relief by the
combined powers are gone into, and when
that object was finally accomplished on
king are described as follows:
The imperial family and the govern
ment had fled a few lays before. The
city was without visible control. The re-
naming imperial soldiery had made on
xterminat the besieged, which was gal
lantiy repealed. 1t fell to the occupying
forces TO restore order and organize o
provisional administration.
Our Chinese Policy.
The policy of the United States through
all this trying period Was clearly an
a circular note to the powers. dated
July 3, proclaimed our attitude Treat
ing the condition in the north as one OF
virtual anarchy. in which the great prov
share. we regarded the local authorities
in the latter Quarters as representing the