Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-09-28
CoNGER INSTRUCTED.
our Minister to China Given Direc-
t1ons as to Negotiations With

t1ons as to Negotiations With
Chinn.
Washington, sept 2s.-Minister Con-
ger has been advised by the state de-
partment Of the substance of the replies
made by this government last Friday to
the governments of Germany, Russia,
and China respecting China, which
clearly Indicated to him the general ma
|stupe of the ins tructions he is to receive.
Moreovsr, by this time he ia inforHef1
of the orders issued to General ChaffeeI
to reduce his force to a legation guard.
The notesto China specifically pointed
cut the lines on which this government
will issue its Instructions to its minis
|ster.
The document itself is in course of
final approval, Acting Secretary Hill
having completed the draft some days
ago and forwarded it to the president.
II was the belief of the state depart
ment that the actual transmission
of the instructions would be carried out
very soon, probably within the next
twelve hours. It is said that the text
of the instructions will not be given
publicity at present for diplomatic rea-
sons. but there is no concealment of the
general scope of the document. which is,
Ion the lines laid down in the three
lnotes.
i In this connection, 1t is said at the
! state department that Mr.. Conger will
i put these negotiations in motion with
out any purpose of acting for any gov
ernment other than the United States,
saltho the government steadily keeps in
mind that the United States is but one
4 of several nations mutually interested
lin obtaining common end and it is
hoped that the effect of Mr.. Congers
making a beginning toward negotia-
1 tions may be to induce other powers to
/ follow. At the same time the govern
ment has never assumed to lay down
4 any mandate az to the course to be fol-
lowed by all or any of the other powers.
i 1t is believed that the state depart
|sment already has taken steps thru Min
lister WI to impress upon the Chinese
4 sIigovernment the undesirability of the ap-
A ]spointment Of Prince Tuan as grand sec
4 l.retary and the painful impression this
appointment has created thruout this
|8country. The effect of his appointment,
5lif persisted in, it is said might be to
! retard seriously the final negotiations,
4 or. in fact, any negotiations at ALL
Il The government feels that it is much
n irelnInrceu III ltS present postum Dy Allle
mote from Ii Hung Chang, in which he
gave positive assurance to the United
Il States that he had sufficient authority
4 to protect all American interests and
!. would see that his authority was ex-
a ercised. The government now looks
4 upon this assurance as guarantee
4 which must be faithfully performed. as
II a condition precedent to even the estab-
II lishment of relations with. Ii and Prince
Ching. If the appointment of Tuan
promises in any manner to obstruct the
:, performance Of this pledge. then it
s would be clearly violative of the guar
antee laid down, and would warrant
:, 1.-THE immediate Withdrawal of Mr. Con-
! ger from further relations with the
7 Chinese envoys. So, it appears that
much more depends upon what Tuar
J. does than upon what he has done.