The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-12-03

/
AN UNWAVERING POLICY.
The policy of the United States
| through all this trying period was clear
| ~ announced and scrupulousIy carried
out. A circular note to the powers dated
/ July 3, proclaimed our attitude treating
the condition in the north as one of Writ
| ual anarchy, in which the great pro-
/ vinces of the south and southeast had TO
share, we regarded the local authorities
! in the latter quarters as representing
/ the Chinese people with whom we sought
/ to remain in peace and friendship. Our
/ declared aims involved no war against
the Chinese nation. We adhered to the
/ legitimate Office of rescuing the imperil-
/ ed legation obtaining redress for
wrongs already suffered, securing Wher-
/ ever possible. the safety of American life
and property in China, and preventing
a spread Of the disorders or their recur-
renee.
As was then said, ssthe policy of the
| government of the United States is to
| seek a solution which may bring about
! permanent safety and peace to China,
preserve Chinese territorial and admin
lstrative entity. protect all rights guar
anteed 70 friendly powers by treaty and
international law, and safeguard for the
world the principle of the equal and inn
partial trade with all parts of the Chi
Faithful to those professions which, as
lt proved, reflected the Views and pur-
poses Of the other cooperating govern
ments all our efforts have been directed
toward ending the anomalous situation
IN CHINA by negotiations for a settle
ment at the earliest possible moment As
soon as the sacred duty of relieving our
legation and its dependents was accom-
plished we withdrew from active hostiH-
tleS, leaving our legation under an ade-
Guate guard in Pe1in as a channel of Me-
gottation and Settlements course
adopted Dy others of the interested DOW
erS- Overtures of the empowered rep
/ rssentativeS of the Chinese emperor
nave been considerably entertained
Inc russian proposition looking to the
restoration of the imperial power in Pc
KIN has been accepted as in full con-
Sonance with our own desires, for we
nave held and hold that that effective
reparation for wrongs suffered and an
enduring settlement that will make their
recurrence impossible can best be
brought about under an authority
which the Chinese nation reVerences and
obeys- While so doing we forego no lot
OF our undoubted right to exact exem-
pldIy ana deterrent punishment of the
responsible authors and abetters of the
criminal acts whereby we and other ma
tons have suffered grievOus injury
For the real culprits, the evil counse-
Tors Who have misled the imperial juds-
i me ana diverted the sovereign author
lty 10 their own guilty ends, full ex-
plation becomes imperative within the
rational limits of retributive justice Re-
garding this as the initial con-
ment between China ana the
powers, 4 said in my message of Oc-
tober 49, to the Chinese emperor:
trust that negotiations mdy begin
so soon as we and the other offended
| governments shall be effectively salts
ned or your majesty's ability and power
10 treat with just sternness the prin-
clpal oTenders, who are doubly culpable
not alone toward the foreigners but
toward your majesty, under whose rule
the purpose of China to dwell in con-
cord with the world had hitherto found
expression in the welcome and protec-
ton assured to strangers" Taking as
a point Of departure, the imperial edict
appointing Earl Lii Hung Chang and
Prince Ching plenfpotentiaries to arrange
a settlement, and the edict Of September
% whereby certain high officials were
designated for punishment, this govern
ment has moved, in concert with the
other powers, toward the opening of ne
gotiatlons, which Mr.. Conger, assisted
by Mr.. Rockhill has been authorized to
conduct on behalf of the United States.
General bases of negotiations formu-
lated by the government of the French
republic have been accepted with GER
tain reservations as to details. made
necessary by our own circumstances.
but, like similar reservations by other
powers open to discussion in the pro-
gresS of the negotiations. The DISPOSE
ton of the emperor's government to ad-
init liability for wrongs done to foreign
governments and their nationals, and to
act upon such additional designation Oh
the guilty persons as the foreign min
listers at Pekin may be in a position to
make, gives hope of a complete settle
ment Of all questions involved, assuring
foreign rights of residence and inter-
course on terms Of equality for all the
world.
regard as one of the essential fac
tors OF durable adjustment the secure
ment of adequate guarantees for lib
erty of faith, since insecurity of those
natives who may embrace alien creeds
is a scarcely less effectuaI assault upon
the rights of foreign worship and teach
ing than would be the direct invasion
thereof
The matter Of indemnity for our
wronged citizens is a question of grave
concern. Measured in money alone, a
sufficient PREPARATION may prove to be
beyond the ability of China to meet. All
the powers concur in emphatic dis
Chalmers OF any purpose of aggrandfze-
ment through the smemberment of the
empire / am disposed to think that due
compensation may be made in part by
increased guarantees of security for for
eign rights and immunities, and most
important Of all. by the opening of
China to the equal commerce of all the
world. These views have been and viii
be earnestly advocated by our repre-
SentatiVeS.
The government of Russia has put
forward a suggestion, that in the event
of protracted divergence Of views in
gard to indemnities the matter may be
relegated to the court of arbitration at
The Hague l favorably incline to this.
believing that high tribunal could not
fail to reach a solution no less con-
ducive to the stability and enlarged
prosperity Of China itself than immed-
lately beneficial to the powers.
OTHER FOREIGN RELATIONS.
Rati1cations of a treaty of extradi-
ton with the Argentine Republic were
exchanged on June last
While the Austro-Hungarian govern
ment has in the many cases that have
been reported of the arrest of our nat
uralized citizens for alleged evasion of
military service faithfully observed the
provisions of the treaty and released
such persons from military obligations,
il has in some instances expelled those
whose presence in the community of
their origin was asserted to have a per-
niciOus influence. Representations have
been made against this course when
ever IFS adODtiOn has aDDeared l1n6ulv