The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-11-17
other Mobiles Given Sentences of Deg
radiation, imprisonment or Ban
ishment to the Boundary.
CoNGER's WORK IN PEKING
AMERICAN MINISTER TRYING TIC
HASTEN PEACE NEGOTIATIONS.
UncOnfirmed Report That RUSSIA and
Picking Have n Secret Under
standing ms to Manchuria.

WASHINGTON, Nov. administer WI
has received from Director General Sheng
the following cabegram, which he COM
municated to Secretary Hay to-day:
"An imperial decree Of Nov. ii deprives
Prince Tuan and Prince Chang of their
ranks and offices, and orders them to be
imprisoned for life: Prince Yih and Sec
ondary Prince Ying to be imprisoned; Sec
ondary Prince Lien to be deprived of his
rank; Duke Ian and Ying Men to be de-
graded in rank; Kang vi, being dead, no
penalty can be imposed upon him; Chao
Shu Chiao to be degraded, but retained
| I'm office, and Yu Hsien to be exiled to the
| farthest boundary"
The Chinese officials mentioned in the
decree are among the highest in China,
and comprise most if not all of those
against whom the powers demanded rig
orous punishment. Prince Tuan stands at
| the head of the anti-foreign and Boxer
movement. Previous edicts have degraded
him and taken away his office and serv
ants, but this judgment Of life imprison-
| ment is the most severe thus far given
| TO any of the leaders responsible for the
| trouble From a Chinese standpoint, it is
an extreme penalty to a prince of the
| blood but il remains to be seen whether
the powers will regard 1t adequate to
Prince Tuan's offense. The others men,
| toned were Tuans active associates. and
| two of them were specifically mentioned
| for punishment along with Tuan, in Sec
rotary Hays note of Oct. g. advising the
| Chinese government tnat this country,
would expect these officials to receive their
| just deserts. Kang vi is one of the Of
| fcials who died suddenly after the demands
| for punishment had been made, probably
| by suicide, Yu Hsien is another who was
| thought TO have committed suicide, but
| the edict indicates that he is still alive.
| AS the ministers at Picking also have been
considering the question of punishments,
| it will develop speedily when they lay
| their demands before the Chinese ENJOYS
whether the edict OF the Chinese empire
! gives punishments which are regarded as
adequate to fit the crimes.
| The State Department has not heard
| from Minister Conger for four days past.
| But his last report on the progress of the
negotiations now going on between the
| ministers, taken in connection with the
departments instructions relative to this
1 subject, NdTIdulS Tic OulCidio HtfS III SOu-
frming the Picking view that the end of
these consultations is in sight Indeed 1t
| is a matter of surprise that the ministers
already have not completed their pro-
| gramme, for. Notwithstanding the Euro
pean impression to the contrary, Minister
| Conger, so far from being an obstruction
| list, is working zealously, by direction of
| Secretary Hay, to hurry the negotiations to
| a finish. This has involved some sacrifice
| on the part of the United States govern
| ment yet in the interest of concerted ac-
| ton and harmony these sacrifices have
| been deemed necessary. 1t cannot be con-
| cealed however, that disapproval is en-
| tertained Of the attitude Of the German
! military commander in China, and, though
| our government has not protested against
the punitive expeditions, which it regards
| as ingeniously calculated to cause fresh
| outbreaks among the Chinese, it fears the
results
| There is no hesitation in energetically
| denying the European implication that the
| United States government is moved in its
| Chinese course by sentimental and unbusi-
ness-like considerations. On the contrary,
| it is pointed out that while sentiment is
| on the side of our government in this mat
| ter, it is accompanied by the soundest busl-
| ness considerations, for the animating pur-
| pose of the State Department now is to
! prevent the destruction of Chinese integrity
| upon pretexts; to maintain the open door,
| for which our government long has con-
| tended. and to secure indemnities for the
| past and guarantees for the future. 1t is
| felt that these objects can be secured with
| out breaking the implied truce entered into
by the ministers and Ii Hung Chang and
! Prince Ching, but the conclusion of the
ministers council, at Picking, is awaited
| with some anxiety.
| Advices other than those to the State
| Department, and not official, strongly deny
| the statements in the foreign press that
American prestige in China has been seri.
| ously injured by the failure of the United
| States to join in the punitive expedition
| against Pao-Ting-Fu. These advices come
| from the most influential Chinese sources,
| and they are agreed I'm stating that Amer
| lean prestige has been greatly advanced i'm
| China by the moderate and humane course
| adopted by the United States.