The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-12-04
OUR FOREIGN RELATIONS.
HINE



Review of the Rising Against For
eigners-POlicy of Administration.
In our foreign intercourse the dominan;
question has been the treatment of the
Chinese problem. Apart from this our re-
lations with the powers have been happy.
The recent troubles in China spring
from the anti-foreign agitation which
for the past three years has gained
strength In the northern provinces. Their
origin lies deep in the character of the
Chinese races and in the traditions of
their government. The Tai-Ping rebellion
and the opening of Chinese ports to for
eign trade and settlement disturbed alike
the h-omeogeneity and the seclusion of
China. Meanwhile foreign activity made
itself felt in all quarters. not alone on
tho coast, but along the great river ar
teries and in the remoter districts, car
rying new ideas and introducing new as
sociations among a primitive people. which
had pursued for centuries a national pol
icy Of isolation. The telegraph and the
railway spreading over their land. the
steamers plying on their waterways, the
merchant and the missionary penetrating
year by year further to the interior, be-
came to the Chinese mind types Of an
alien invasion, changing the course of their
national life and fraught with vague fore
holdings of disaster to their beliefs and
their self-control.
For several years before the present trou-
bles all the resources of foreign diplomacy,
backed by moral demonstrations OF the
physical force of fleets and arms. nave been
needed to secure due respect for the treaty
rights OF foreigners and to obtain satisfac-
ton from the responsible authorities for
the sporadic outrages on the persons ana
property of unoffending sojourners, which,
from time to time, occurred at widely separ-
ated points in the northern provinces, as In
the case of the outbreaks In Sze-Chuan and
Shan-Tung. Posting of anti-foreign pla-
cards became a daily occurrence, which the
repeated reprobation of the imperial power
failed to check or punish. These infamma-
tory appeals to the ignorance and supersu-
ton of the masses, mendacious and absurd
in their accusations, and deeply hostile In
their spirit, could not but work cumulative
harm. They aimed at no particular class
of foreigners; they were impartial In at
lacking everything foreign.
An outbreak I'm Shan-Tung, In which Ger
man missionaries were slain, was the TOO
natural result of these malevolent teach
ings. The posting OF Seditious placardS, ex-
horting TO the utter destruction of foreign
ers and of every foreign thing, continued
unrebuked. Hostile demonstrations toward
the stranger gained strength by organiza-
tion.
The sect commonly styled the Boxers de-
veloped greatly in the provinces north OF
the Yang-Tse, and with the collusion or
many notable officials, including some In
the immediate councils of the throne itself,
became alarmingly aggressive. No for
eigner's life, outside of the protected treaty
ports, was safe. No foreign interest was
secure from spoliation.
PROTESTS WERE IN VAIN.
The diplomatic representatives Of the
powers in Pekfng strove in vain to check
this movement. Protest was followed by
demand and demand by renewed protest,
TO be met with p~erfunctory edicts from the
palace and evasive and futile assurances
from the Tsung-li-Yamen. The circle Of the
Boxer influence narrowed about Picking. and
while nominally stigmatized as seditious,
il was felt that its spirit pervaded the
capital itself. that the imperial forces were
imbued with its doctrines, and that the inn
mediate counselors OF the Empress dowager
were in full sympathy with the anti-for-
eign movement.
The increasing gravity Of the conditions
I'm 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 it profound solicitude.
The United States from the earliest of for
eign intercourse with China had followed a
policy of peace, emitting no occasions to
testify good will, to further the extension
of lawful trade. to respect the sovereignty
of it's government, and to insure by all
legitimate and kindly, but earnest means
the fullest measure of protection for the
lives and property OF our law-abiding citi-
zens and for the exercise of their beneficent
calling among the Chinese people.
Mindful of this, 1t was felt to be appro-
pirate that our purposes should be pro-
rD,naoI IN faynr of GINh COIIrSa al U0Ill
hasten united action of the powers at
Picking TO promote the administrative re-
forms SO greatly needed for strengthening
the imperial government and maintaining
the integrity of China, in which we be-
lieved the whole western world to be alike
concerned. To these ends, / caused 10 be
addressed TO the several powers occupying
territory and maintaining spheres OF in
fiuence i'm China the circular proposals OF
1899. inviting from them declarations of
their intentions and views as to the desfr-
ability of the adoption of measures insuriny
the benefits CT equality OF treatment of all
foreign trade throughout China
With gratifying unanimity the responses
conceded in this common policy. enabling
me 10 see in the successful termination OF
these negotiations proof of the friendly
shirt which animates the various powers
interested in the untrammeled development
of n industry in the Chinese
empire as a source of vast benefit to the
whole commercial world. In this cOnclu-
sion. which i had the qualification to an
nounce as a completed engagement to the
interested powers on March 20. 1900. I hope
fully discerned a potential factor for the
abatement Of the distrust of foreign pur-
poses which for a year past had appeared
TO inspire the policy of the imperial gov
eminent. and for the effective exertion by
K OF power and authority TO quell the criti-
cal anti-foreign movement in the northern
provinces most Immediately influenced by
the Manchu sentiment.
BOXERS GAINED CONTROL.
Seeking TO testify confidence in the will
ingness and ability Of the imperial admin
istration to redress the wrongs and pre-
vent the evils we suffered and feared. the
marine guard. which had been sent to Pc
king in the autumn of 1899 for the protec-
ton of the legation, was Withdrawn at the
earliest practicable moment, and all pend