Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1900-11-22
CHINESE SITUATION.
Favorable to Beginning Negotia-
tions for Settlement.
OPEN LETTER ON JUSTICE TO CHINA.


Pekin, via Shanghai, Nov. 10Th
belief that the note of the powers t
the Chinese commissioners, Prime
Ching and Ii Hung Chang, will b
completed soon is strengthened by tn
results of the recent informal confer
ences of the ministers of the powers
Mr.. Conger, the United States minis
ter, said to correspondent of tn
Associated press yesterday: 1.-THE sit
uation is apparently very favorable t.
the early beginning of negotiation
for a preliminary settlement. be
licve that the next meeting of tn
foreign ENJOYS will virtually settle al
points of difference between the rep
resentatives Of the powers, who viii
lose no time In presenting the de
mands. What the result will be it Is
impossible to foretell. Events have
placed China in very critical posi-
ton. Whether she will be able to pre-.
serve her integrity and to save her
trade relations with the rest of the
world will depend upon what the
powers demand in the final settle.
ment and upon her willingness to &c.
cept promptly the conditions pro-
posed. 1t is quite unlikely, if not i'm
possible, that the Chinese court will
return to Pckin before next spring,
but do not anticipate any serious de-
lay in the progress Of the negotia-
tons with tie Chinese commissioners,
as they are in telegraphic communica-
ton with the court"
Military operations are virtually at
o standstill. The German and Italian
expeditions northward passed through
the Nan Kau pass unopposed.
Sanitary conditions here are becom-
ing serious. Sine the foreign occupa-
tion many Chinese have died of small
pox and other infectious diseases.
Fearing that their funerals would be
interfered with, they have kept most
of the collins containing their dead
in their houses and court yards.
An Opsn Letter IN "Justlce to China"
New York, Nov. 19.--Dr. w. A. P.
Martin, president OF the Imperial uni
yersity at Pekin, yesterday gave out
an open letter, the caption of which
Ia "Justice to China" which he calls
the question Of the hour for the whole
world, DR.. Martin takes exception to
some recently-printed newspaper ar
ticles which advise moderation in the
treatment of the Chinese. lie says,
in effect, If the ruling powers in
China were OF Chinese strain there
might be some excuse for moderation
but he calls the empress dowagcr "a
Tartar usurper who follows the ira
ditions Of the grand kahn and treats
ambassadors with contumeIy." As to
the plea that China be treated as a
self-respecting power, Dr. Martin
says: What kind of self-respect was
1t for the empress dowager on the
10Th of June, before Baron Ketteler
was killed, to send a secret edict to all
her yiceroys: 'Exterminate the for.
eigners, kill the native Chrstians?'
What sort of self-respect was shown
ny Prince Tuan, father of the heir
apparent, in making himself the pa
triot of n body of cut-throats? What
seif-respect was shown by Prince
Chuang as military governor in set
ting n price on the heads of foreign
ers-v'60 taels for the head of man.
so for the head of woman and 30 for
the head of chld?"
Dr. Martin further says; "rhe read
lest road to peace and order is the
restoration of the young emperor.
Az for his tyrannical aunt and all
her blood-stained clique, no penalty
can be too severe to nnict on them.
When the dowager and Prince Tuan
put to death four ministers in the for.
eign board for the crime of pleading
for peace, are the allies too severe if |
they insist on the exile of the one and
the execution OF the other?'
The doctor closed by contending
that $500, 100000 is not too much for
China to pay.
Penalty for Hlgh Oaicln,s.
London, Nov. l9.-Dr Morrison.
wiring to the Times from Pekin. nm.
der date OF November Is, says. The
foreign ENJOYS have reopened the dis.
cussion of the death penalty for the
princes and other high officials. It is
evident that :hc ministers are weak.
oning, as they have reduced their pro-
posal from execution to the seyercst
punishment provided by Chinese law
forgetting that princes lie beyond the
reach of Chinese common law.
The news from the southern proy. |
inces is more reassuring. Ii Hung
Chang says that Prince Tuan has fled |
for safety to the residence of his
father-in-law at Ming Hal Hsien. ON
the Monaghan frontier Of the prov.
ince OF Kan Su
May Send Expedition After the Court
London, Nov. 19.-"lt Ia rumored "
says a Pekin correspondent of the
Morning Post, wiring Saturday, shat
. spring expedition to Sian Flu is al.
ready being discussed as the outcome
Of the probable failure of the peace
negotiations. Should the court pre-.
pare for further resistance, it would
be necessary Cor the allies to declare