The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-07-09
LAST REPORT
FROM CONGER
HAS ARRIVED.
Bears Date Of May 31-of Great I'm
prtauce-Discloses Character
of the Boxer Uprising.
OPTIMISTIC VIEW BY MINISTER.
Document Will Have Strong Bearing
on Final Reckoning With China.
Danger Known to Europe.

l. . . b L. . IT,
II WASHINGTON, July s.-The last
China mall to reach the state depart
2 ment brought the report of Minister
q Conger, perhaps the last that ever will
come TO hand. This bears the date of
Pekin. May 81. 1t is Of the most i'm
I porthnce, disclosing as It does full
comprehension on the part Of the for
efgn ministers in PeIltn, OF the charnc-
ter and extent OF the boxer uprising,
even though Mr.. Conger himself. by dis
z position, optimistic. found some reason
& to hope that the worst was over at that
4 date. What Mr.. Congpr has to say us
TO the attitude OF the Chinese govern
: rnent toward the boxer movement as
revealed in the formal interchange that
took place between himself and the
Tsung Ii Yamen, Is not only Of peculiar
Interest now, but probably will have
stroug bearing on the final reckoning
that must be had between the civilized
nations and the Chinese. Mr.. Conger
makes 1t very clear through the publ
cation OF the French priests letter. that
at least one, and probably all Of the
European nations having interests in
! northern China, were acquainted with
the dangers OF the situation Mt least
/ two or three weeks before the actual
out break In Pekin.
Situation Considered Grave.
The correspondence referred to fol-
lows:
Legation Of the United States. Pekln,
China, May 81, 1900.
4 ITO the Hon. John Hay, Secretary of
Il State. Washington, D. C.
"sIR:-I have the honor to confirm
4 On the .operleaf. my cipher telegram OF
to-day.
I I'm response to the request of the
French minister. the dean called
& meeting Of the diplomatic corps yester-
Il day, and upon Information furnished In
"a letter from the Catholic bishop In Pc
kin and verbal reports OF the other
i ministers. the situation was considered
so grave that the corps unanimously
instructed the dean to present to the
Tsung Ii Yamen and demand imme-
date and effective measures which he
did to-day by the note, copy of which
1 is enclosed.
z II also enclose copies OF the bishops
3 letter and one from Rev. Mr.. KIllie, an
american missionary who lives in Pc
kin. but travels q circuit to the north
sand east. j.
"On the 18th inst. during an extended
\ personal interview with the Tsung Ii
4 Yamen. called their attention to the
i fact that notwithstanding constant
warnings from this and other legations.
the boxers had continually increased
and spread until now they are boldly
( organizing inside the walls of Pekin,
the existence Of thousands Is known In
the villages around Pekin. Christian
converts are being prosecuted and
I threatened everywhere. many forced to
recant their religious professions. ana
some have been compelled to abandon
their chapels and come to Pekin for
safety.
Some Burned Alive.
4 II said: AT 4 London mission near
Chou Chow. forty miles west o; Pcktn,
two native Christians have been killed
. and their chapels destroyed. Near Pao
Ting Flu. Catholic village has been de-
stroyed and sixty-one Christians muir
dered. some OF them being burned alIvr.
The foreign governments cannos longer
Sit Idly by and witness the persecution
end murder. can only speak for my
own government. but It is becoming
very impatient over China's continued
treaty violation. 1t always has been
and still Is the good friend OF China.
and only wishes 1t prosperity. but Is
now more than ever determined to sus-
tain the treaty rights Of all American
citizens and of the Christian converts
and It will hold the Chinese govern
ment responsible to the strlctest re-
spopslbility for every treaty lafractioR
in this regard. It will do these not only
/, for the benefit OF its own citizens, but
! IN the Interest OF China herself. whose
! government Is now sadly threatened by
these lawless organizations. At pres
en-. II is true they seem TO have no
capable leader. but should one arlsa
and the populace become inHained,
the overflow OF the present
dynasty Is most likely to follow. and
possibly the destruction OF the empire,
ETC.. ETC."
Throne Aware Of the Gravity.
They replied that did not under
stand the many difficulties under which
I they labored. hut they had succeeded In
supprcsslng the boxers In tho province
OF Shan Tung and would do 40 here. I
told them | saw no effective measures
whatever being nut forth They replied
that tho movement had not heretofore
been looked upon ms serious; but that
now the throne was fully aware OF the
gravity of the situation and that n re-
cent confidential decree had been SAINT
TO the vlceroy. the Prkln and neighbour
ing officials, which would surely prove
effective. suppress the boxers and re-
store order.
II told them that the most alarming
teieSrnms were being sent to the news
papers OF Europe aud America OF the'I
exlnilnE state OF anarchy here. and that
The people OF the world would DO forced
10 believe that the government OF China
was either nhettiug these murdcrous