Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1900-12-07
CHINA COMES FIRST.
The Horrors Of the Pekin Siege and
the Timely Rescue.

The Horrors Of the Pekin Siege and
tho Timely Rescue.
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
happy. ,.
ORIGIN OF CHINESE TROUBLES.
The recent troubles in China spring
ssom the anti-foreign agitation which for
in the northern provinces. Their origin
lies deep I'm the character Of the Chinese
snces and in the traditions of their gov
eminent. The TAPPING rebellion. and the
opening Of Chinese ports to foreign trade
and settlement disturbed alike the homo
Geneity and the seclusion of China
Meanwhile foreign activity. made itself
coast, but along the great river arteries
and In the remoter districts, carrying
new Ideas and introducing new assoc1a-
tons among a primitive people which had
pursued for centuries national policy
Of isolation.
The telegraph and railway spreading
over their land. the steamers plying on
their waterways. the merchant and the
farthen to the interioE Sse s s to- the
Chinese mind types Of an alien invasion,
changing the course Of their national life
and fraught with vague forebodings OF
disaster to their beliefs and their self
control.
For several years before the present
troubles all the resources OF foreign d.
piomacy. backed by moral demonstra.
lions of the physical force of fleets and
arms. have been needed TO secure due re-
spect for the treaty rights of foreigners
and to obtain satisfaction from the re-
sponsible authorities for the sporadic out
RACES upon the persons and property of
unonending sojourners. which from time
to time occurred at widely separated
points in the northern provinces. as in
the case of the outbreaks in Sze-Chuen
and ShAntung.
Posting of ant;-foreign placards became
. daily occurrence. which the repeated
reprobation of the imperial power failed
to check or punish. These inf1ammatory
appeals to the ignorance and supersti-
ton Of the masses. mendacious and abb
surd in their accusations and deeply hos
tile In their spirit. could not but work
ticular class of foreigners; they were
impartial in attacking everything for
eign.
MURDERS OF MISSIONARIES.
An outbreak in shantung, in which Ger
man missionaries were slain, was the too
natural result of these maievolent teach
ings. The posting of seditious placards.
exhorting to the utter destruction of for
elgners and of every foreign thing. con-
tinued unrebuked. Hostile demonstra-
lions toward the stranger gained strength
by organization.
The sect commonly styled the Boxers
developed greatly in the provinces north
of the Yang-Tse, and with the collision
OF many notable officials. including some
IN the immediate councils of the throne
itself, became alarmingly aggressive No
foreigner's life, outside of the protected
treaty ports, was safe. No foreign in
terest was secure from spollation.
The diplomatic representatives OF the
powers in Picking strove ii vain to check
this movement. Protest was followed by
demand and demand by renewed protest,
to be met with perfunctory edicts from
the palace and evasive and futile assur-
ances from the tsung-I-yamen. The cir
Gle Of the Boxer influence narrowed about
Picking, and while nominally stigmatized
Is seditious. 1t was felt that its spirit
pervaded the capital itself, that the i'm
perial forces were imbued with it's doc
trines. and that the immediate counselors
Of the empress dowager were in full SYM
pathy with the anti-foreign movement.
The increasing gravity of the conditions
in China and the imminence of peril to
our own diversified interests in the en-
treaty governments, were soon appreci-
ated by this government, causing it pro-
found solicitude. The United States from
the earliest days of foreign intercourse
with China had followed a policy Of
peace. emitting no occasion to testify
good will. to further the extension of
lawful trade, to respect the sovereignty
OF its government, and to issue by all
legitimate and kindly but earnest means
the fullest measure Of protection for the
lives and property of our law-abiding cit
izens and for the exercise of their benefi-
cent caliings among the Chinese people.
UNITED ACTION OF POWERS. q
Mindful OF this, It was felt to be APP
propriate that our purposes should be
pronounced in favor OF such course as
would hasten united action Of the powers
II Pekin to promote the administrative
q -.He--n. go e,roo f1v needed for strength