Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-12-04

Upon the converting of Congress at
noon. today. President McKinley's
annual message was at once trans
mittcd and read. TIE full text OF this
important document follows.
10 the Senate and House of Representa-
tivcs:
q At the out going of the old and the in
coming Of the new century you begin the
isst session of the Fifty-sixth Congress
with evidences on every hand of indi-
viiual and national prosperity and with
proof of the growing strength and in
crcasing power for good of Republican
institutions. Your countrymen will join
with you in felicitation that American
liberty is more firmly established than
ever before and that love for il and the
determination to preserve it are more uni
ycrsal than at any former period OF our
history.
The Republic was never SO strong. be-
cause nevcr so strongly intrcnched in the
hearts of the people as now. The Con
stitution. with few amendments, exists rs
it left the hands of its authors. The ad
ditions which have been made TO it pro-
claim larger freedom and more extended
citizenship. Popular government has
demonstrated in its one hundred and
iwcnty-four years of trial here its sta
bility and security, and its efficiency as
the best instrument of national develop
mcnt and the beet safeguard to human
rights.
When the sixth Congress assembled in
November. 1870. the population of the
United States was J.30S. 4S3. 1t is now
76.304. 19J. Then we had sixteen States
Now We have forty-tivc. Then our ter
ritory consisted Of $4,000 square miles
II is now :t.Si6.J9:t square miles. Edu-
cation. religion. and morality have kept
pace with orr advancement i'll other di
REGIONS. and while extending its power
the Government has adhered TO its fouu-
daiioD principles and ahated none Of
them in dcaiin. with our new peoples
and possessions. \ nation 50 preserved
and blessed gives rcvctent thanks TO
God aud inrokcs His guidance and the
continuance OF His care and favor.
In our foreign intercourse the dominant
question has been the treatment of the
Chinese problem. Apart from this our
relations with the powers have been hap
pr.
from rhc autiforciyn agitation which for
the pas, three years has gained strength
in the northern provinces. Their origin
lies deep III the character of the Chinese
race and in the traditions of their Gov
ernmcnt, Tie TAPPING rebellion and the
opening of Tho Chinese ports 10 foreign
trade aud settlement disturbed alike the
hom0scncity and the Scclusion of China.
NJ Gs,Ia
felt in all quarters. not alon" on the
roast. but along the great river arteries
aud in the remotcr districts. carrying new
ideas and introducing new associations
smoug primitive people which had pur-
sued for centuries IA national policy of
isolation.
The telegraph aud the railway spread
ing over their land. the steamers plying
on their waterways. the merchant and
The missionary penetrating wear by year
farther to the interior. became to the chi
ncse mind types of an alien INVASION.
changing the course Of their national life
aud frsuyht with vague forebodinsS Of
disaster 10 their beliefs and their self
control.
For several years before the present
troubles all the resources of foreign di-
plomacy. backed by moral demonstrations
of the physical force of fleets and arms.
have been needed to secure due respect
for The treaty rights of foreigners and 10
obtain satisfaction from the responsible
authorities for the sporadic outrageS upon
The persons and property Of uuohcnd'n:
sojourDerS. which from time 10 tim" oc-
CURED at widely separated points in the
northern provinces. as in the case of tn,
outbreaks in Szc-chucn and Sh1n-tuuG.
Posting Of an'iforcisn placarJ, became
= daily occurrence which the repeated
rcprobation OF th" Imperial power failed
TO check or punish. These indammatory
appeals 20 the Ignorance and superstition
of illr masses. mendaciouS and absurd
in their accusations and deeply hostile
in their Spirit. could not bui work rnmu-
ia,ivc harm. They aimed II no partictt'
lar class Of foreigners: they were impair
tial in attacking everything foreign.
An outbreak in Shan'uug. in which
German missionaries We're slain. WIS the
too natural result of these malcvoent
teachings. The posting of ScditiouS p'a-
cards, eyhorting 10 the utter destruction
of foreigners and of every foreign thing.
continued unrcbukcd. Hostile demon
STATIONS toward the stranger gained
strength by organization.
The sect. commonly styled the Boxers,
developed greatly in the provinces north
OF the Yany-T~c. and with the collusion
Of many notable officials. including SOM
in the immediate councils of the Throne
itself. became alarminGly aggressive. NJ
foreigners life. outside of the protected
treaty ports, was safe. No foreign inter
est was secure from spoliation.
The diplomatic representatives of th'
Powers i'll Picking strovc i'll vain 10 check
this movement. Protest was followed by
htninnd and demand by renewed protest
to be met with pcrfunctory edicts from tn,
fHlace and cvaSivc and futile assurances
tlom the T>ungli Yamen. The circle OF
III" Boxer influence narrowed about re
King. and while nomnaly stigmatized a.
seditiouS. it was felt that its spirit per
v"ded the capital ITSELF. that the lmpe
nal forces were imbued with its doc
tribes. and that the immediate counselor,
III the Empress D"wagcr We're i'll ful
sympathy with the antiforeign move
lncnt.
lie INCREASING gravity of the condl
lions IN hlna aud the iminincnce Of per
u !" our OWN diversified interests III the