Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-11-23
Mr.. CONGER CAUTIONED
SHOULD NOT MAKE TOO SEVERE DE-
MANDs ON CHINA.
Serious Consequence of Discord
Among the Ministers or Fail of
the ReiEninE Dynasty.

The State Department has heard nothing
for several days from Mr. Conger, save a
brief expression respecting the insufficiency
of the punfshments proposed by the Chi
nese government to be inflicted upon the
responsible leaders of the Boxer movement.
Without taking issue with Mr.. Conger
respecting the matter of Dunishments, the
State Department has earnestly advised
him not to insist upon impossible conditions
in the negotiations. There is no purpose
to delay the negotiations which are now
in progress in Pekin, and Mr.. Conger has
been expressly instructed to impose no OBJ
stacle to speedy termination of the minis
terial councils. But he has also been eau
toned to place the demands within the
limits of the Chinese government, suppos-
ing that government to be honestly disposed
to meet them. Otherwise, it Is certain that
there must follow the destruction of the
reigning dynasty. and it is feared in the
chaos that would follow a movement for
the partition of the distracted empire would
succeed.
DiscOrd Among the Ministers.
An interesting problem is suggested by
the possibility, which seems almost a prob
ability, that the ministers representing the
powers at Pekin cannot reach an agree
predicate action upon unanimity among the
participants. 1t is questionable now wheth-
er even a majority of the powers at Pekin
can be gotten together on one definite pro-
gram. If Russia, France and the United
States should refuse to accept the German
idea, seconded by the British representa-
tive, very much would depend upon Japan,
and even some of the smaller powers rep
resented at Pekn by ministers might have
great power in swaying the proceedings of
the council. The impression seems to be
that if majority of the ministers, or per-
hapS even one of the representatives of a
great power, withholds assent to the agree
ment, then the whole undertaking falls, and
there must either be fresh negotiations di-
rectly between the home governments in
the effort to agree upon fresh bases of ac-
ton, or the powers must proceed to deal
with the Chinese situation singly or in
groups, the latter contingency having been
provided for in the German-British agree
ment.
Japan's New Representative.
The Japanese minister to Russia, Mr.. J..
komura. arrived in New York yesterday,
and will leave soon for China, where he
will succeed Baron Niche as japanese min
lster at Pekin. The new post is most i'm
pcrtant, in view of the negotiations which
the ministers are now conducting there
Mr.. kOmura is one of the foremost men,
bers of the japanese foreign service, and
is well known lere. having been minister
in Washington few years ago when the
new treaty with Japan was framed.
The course of Japan in sending a new
minister to Pekin is attracting attention in
diplomatic quarters, and revives the discus
sion on the advisability of having the nego-
| tiations conducted by officials who were
not in China at the time of the troubles.
The first plan was for an independent COM
mission, to meet at Paris, Berlin or some
other point. but this finally gave way to
the plan of having the ministers at Pekin
deal with the subject. Changes have been
going on however. the British and German
representatives not Deing those formerly in
China, and now Japan will have new
representative.