The Red Cloud chief., 1900-12-06
THE AFFAIRS or STATE
President Mckinley Discusses Them in a
Lengthy Message.
IMPORTANT MATTERS MENTIONED
The situation. Present and Future, Of
Chinese Affairs Given Much Space
Decrease of War Tax Advocated-As to
Pensions, Cuban Matters, Etc, Etc.

the incoming OF the new century you be-
gin the last session OF the FIfty-siNth
congress with evidences on every hand
of individual and national prosperity and
with proof of the growing strength and
increasing power for the good of repub-
licun institutions. Your cOuntrymcn Will
Join with you In fcliCitatiOn that Amer
lean liberty Is more firmly established
than ever before, and that love for IL
and the determination to preserve 1t are
more universal than at any former per-
Tod Of our history.
The republic was never so strong. be-
cause never so strongly entrencheG In
the hearts of the people as nov. The
constitution, with few amendments, eN-
lists as IT left the hands of its authors.
the additions which have been made to
II proclaim larger freedom and more ex-
tended citizenship. Popular government
has demonstrated in its l24th year Of trial
here its stability and security, and it's
tional development and the best safeguard
to human rights.
November, 1900. the population of the
United States was 5,3DS, 1913. 1t Is now
76.S0i, 799. Then we had sixteen states.
Now we have ~forty-fye. Then our ter
ritory consisted of aO9, 050 square miles. 1t
Is now 3,S4G,595 square miles. Education.
religion and morality have kept pace
with our advancement in other direc-
tions, and while extending Its power the
government has adhered to It's fouuda-
ton principles and abated none of them
In dealing with our new peoples and pos
StSSlbllS. n nation SO DIeStTNel anu
blessed gives rcverent thanks to God
and invokes His guidance and the con-
tinuance of His care and favor.
In our foreign intercourse the domi-
nant question has been the treatment
of the Chinese problem. Apart from this
our relations with the powers have been
happy.
REVIEW OF AFFAIRS IN CHINA.
The recent troubles in China spring
from the anti-forcign agitation which
for the last three years has been gaining
L. ..a- t., ~ .AHaAFtnnaE
Their origin lies deep In the character
Y of the Chinese races and In the tradi-
lions OF their government. The TAPPING
rebellion and the opening of the Chinese
ports TO foreign trade and settlement
disturbed alike the homogenlty and the
seclusion of China. .
Meanwhile foreign activity. made Itself
felt in all quarters, not alone on the
coast. but along the great river arteries
and in the remoter districts, carrying new
ideas and introducing new associations
pursued for centuries "A national policy
OF. isolation. The telegraph and the
railway spreading over their land. the
steamers plying ON their waterways, the
merchants and the Missionaries pene-
trating year by year to the interior be-
came TO the Chinese mine types OF an
allen invasion. changing the course OF
their national life and fraught with
vague forcbodlngs Of disaster TO their
beliefs and their self-control.
For several years before the present
troubles all the resources of foreign di-
plomacy, backed by moral demonstra-
lions OF the physical force of fleets and
arms haye been needed to secure que
eigners and to obtain satisfaction from
the responsible authorities for the spo-
radio outrages upon the persons and
property of unofcnding sOJourners when
from time to time occurred at widely
separated points In the northern prov
inces, as In the case Of the outbreak In
SEE Chuen and Shan Tung.
Posting of anti-fOrpiEn DlaCardS became
a daily occurrence, which the repeated
reprobation of the imperial power failed
appeals to the ignorance and supersti-
tion of the masses. mendactous ana alb
surd In their accusations and deeply nos
tile in their. spirit, could not but WORK
cumulative harm. They aimed At no
particular class of foreigners; they were
impartial in attacking everything for
eign. An outbreak In shan rungi IN
was the too natural result or these
malevolent teachings. The posting OF Sc
ditious placards exhorting 10 the utter
destruction of foreigners and OF every
foreign thing continued unrebuked' HOS
tile demonstrations toward the stranger
gained strength by organization
The sect, commonly styled the Boxers
developed greatly In the. porvinces north
of the Yang Use and with the collusion
of many notable officials. including some
In the Immediate councils OF the throne
itself, became %alarmingly aggressive
No foreigners life outside of the pro-
tected treaty ports was safe. No TOR
eign interest was secure from spoliation
The diplomatic representatives of the
powers in Pekin strove I'm vain 10 cnech
this movement. Protest was followed by
to be met with perfunctory edicts from
the palace and evasive and futile assur'
ence from the tsung-li.yamen' Inc CIR,
Gle of the Boxer influence narroWee
about Pekin, and while nominally stig,
inatized AS seditious. II was foit una
the spirit pervaded the capital itself, ina
the imperial forces were imbued VIII
It's doctrines and that immediate coun
selors of the impress dowager were II
fun sympathy with the anti-foreign move
ment. =,
lions In China and the imminence o.
peril to our own diversified interests II
the empire, as well as to those OF al
the other treaty governments, were sooI
appreciated by this government. caus
Ing It profound solicitude. The United
States, from the earliest days OF for
eign intercourse with China, had followed
a policy of peace. emitting no occasion
to testify good will, to further the ex
tension of lawful trade, to respect I'M
sovereignty OF its government nmH 10 I'm IN
earnest means, the fullest measure o
protection for the lives and property o
our law-abiding citizens and for the ek
ercise of their beneflcent callings amoni
the Chinese people.
Mindful of this, It was felt to be ap
propriate that our purpose should be pro
pdiltt III laNOi VI S'Nh ~
would hasten united action OF the pow
ers at Pekin to promote the administra
tive reforms 30 greatly needed To
strengthening the imperial governmen
and maintaining the integrity OF China
in which we believed the whole western
world to be alike concerned. To thes
ends l caused to be addressed to tn
several powers occupying territory an
maintaining spheres OF influence In Chini
the circular proposals OF 1899 invitin
from them declarations OF their inten
lions and views as TO the desirabllit,
OF the adoption of measures insuring tn
benefits of equality of treatment OF al
foreign trade throughout China.
With gratifying unanimity the re
sponses conceded with this common pol
Icy. enabling me to see In the successful
termination of these negotiations proc
of the friendly spirit which animates tn
various powers Interested In the untram
meled development OF and In
dustry OF the Chinese empire as a sourc
of vast benefit to the whole commercia
world.
In this conclusion. which ! had tn
qualification to u as n complete
engagement to the interested powers. o
March ~, 1900. | hopefully dtscerned
potential factor for the abatement q