Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1900-12-05
M'KINLEY'S MESSAGE
The Annual Communication of the
President to Congress.
MANY IMPORTANT RECOMMENDATIONS
Outlines Our Policy in China-Ap-
proves of Ship Subsidy-Proposes
Legislation for the Philippine S
and Asks Ratification of Hay
PauncefOte Treaty.

Washington, Dec. The following
is comprehensive synopsis of the pres
ident's annual message to congress:
The president gives first place in his
message to the troubles in China and
our connection with the allied forces OPP
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:
The increasing gravity of the conditions
in China and the imminence of peril to our
own diversified interests in the empire, a.
well as to those of all the other treaty gov
ernments, were soon appreciated by this
government, causing it profound solicitude.
The United States from the earliest days
of foreign intercourse with China had fol-
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
est means the fullest measure of protec-
ton for the lives and property of our law
abiding citizens and for the exercise Of
their beneflcent callings 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 al Pc
king to promote the administrative reforms
so greatly needed for strengthening the
imperial goyernment and malntaiinlng the
whole western world to be alike concerned.
To these ends l caused to be addressed to
the several powers occupying territory and
maintaining spheres of influence in China
the circular proposals of 1899, inviting
from them declarations of their lntentlons
and views as to the deSrability of the
adoption of measures insuring the benefits
OF equality Of treatment OF all foreign
trade throughout China.
Proposals Well Received.
With gratifying unanimity the re-
enabling me to see in the successful ter.
mlnatlon Of these negotiations proof OF
the. friendly spirit which animates the
various powers interested in the un-
trammeled development Of commerce and
industry in the Chinese empire as
source of vast benefit to the whole COM
mercial world.
In this conclusion, which had the graf
1flcation to announce as completed en-
gagement to the interested powers on
March 20 1900 hope was fully discerned
potential factor for the abatement Of the
distrust Of foreign purposes which for.
year past had appeared to inspire the
policy of the imperial government, and
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.
Willingness and ability of the imperial
administration to redress the wrongs and
prevent the evils we suffered and feared,
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
Iar as we We're concerned, to the or
binary resorts of diplomatic intercourse.
VigOr OF the Siege.
The history of the efforts made at re-
lieving the beleaguered legationers in Pc
king is thoroughly covered; no important
with the Chinese forces is mentioned
whether our forces were engaged or not
Of t IaoT hf g0r a with 6 w bv the sge
nese he quotes reports from Minister
Conger, as follows:
rom June 20 until July IT, writes
hour during which there was not firing
some Of the gations sur vary iS af from 'a
single shot to a general and continuous
attack along the whole line Artillery
the overlooking palace walls, and thou
sands of three-inch shells were fired, de-
stroying some buildings and damaging
all So thickly did the balls rain that
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-
tons by setting neighboring houses on
gian, Italian and Dutch legations were
aid of the native converts, directed by
the + missi %n to whose helpful coop
veritable fortress The British minister
Sir CLAUDE -Macdonald, was chosen gen
eral commander of the defense with the
secretary of the American legation, Mr.
E. G. Squiers, as chief of staff.
Defense of the Legationers.
To save life and ammunition the be-
sieged sparingly returned the incessant ire
of the Chinese soldiery, fighting only to
repel attack or make an occasional sue
cessful sortie for strategic ADVANTAGE such
as that of SIS Americans, British and Rus
sian marines led by Capt. Myers, of the
United States marine corps, which result
cd T1t11 of Il Ill
on the wall that gravely menaced the
American position. It was held to the last
and proved an invaluable acquisition be-
cause commanding the water gate through
which the relief column entered.
During the siege the defenders lost 65
killed. 195 wounded and seven by disease
the last all children.
On July IA the beseged had their first
communication with the tsung- li-yamen
from whom message came inviting to a
conference, which was declined. Core
spondence, however, ensued and a sort of
armistice was agreed upon which stopped
the bombardment and lessened the rife FIRE
for time. Even then no protection what
ever was afforded, any aid given, save
to send to the legations small supply of
fruit and three sacks of flour.
DupIicity of Chinese Government
Indeed. the only communica ton had with
the Chinese government related to the oc-
casional delivery or dispatch of telegram
to the of of the the sungyamen
coast under escort Not only are the pro-
testations of the Chinese government that
it protected and succored the legations
positively contradcted, but irresistible
proof accumulates that the attacks upon
them were made by imperial troops, regu-
larry uniformed, armed and differed, be-
longing to the command of Jung Lu, the
imperial commander in chief. DEGREES en-
courasing the Boxers, organizing them I'M
der prominent imperial officers, provision
ing them, and even granting them large
sums in the name of the empress 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
istice of July IA, proceeding which was
doubtless promoted by the representa- lions
of the Chinese envoy in Washington, the
way was opened for the conveyance to Mr..
Conger of test message SEM by the sec
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