Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1900-12-07
OUR FOREIGN ROTATIONS.
The Dominant Question Has Been the
Treatment of the Chinese Problem.

In our foreign intercourse the dominant
the Ppfffs our re- re.
iattons with the powers have been happy.
me recent troubles in China spring from
the anti-foreign agitation which for the
past three years has gained strength in
the northern provinces. Their origin lies
deep In the character of the Chinese races
and In the traditions of their government
The TAPPING rebellion and the opening of
chinese ports to foreign trade and settle
ment disturbed alike the homogeneity and
the Seclusion of China
Meanwhile foreign activity made itself
feit In all quarters, not alone on the coast,
put along the great river arteries and in
the remoter districts, carrying new ideas
and introducing new associations among
q primitive people which had pursued for
centuries rt sS national policy Of isolation.
over their land, the steamers plying on
their waterways. the merchant and the
miss missionary penetrating year by year far
nese mind types of an alien invasion,
changing the course of their national life
s snd iraught with vague forebodings of
troll
Previous Troubles in China.
For several years before the present
troubles all the resources of foreign diplo-
the physical force of fleets and arms, have
been needed to secure due respect for the
treaty rights of foreigners and to obtain
thorities for the sporadic outra ges upon the
persons and property of unoffending So
s9ur wtda,, which from time to time occurred
ern provneesp as n points POI in the north
breaks in sze-chuen and shan-Tung M. o''-
d si1v OF anti-foreign placards became
check or punish. These infiammatory an.
peais to the ignorance and superstition
their accusations and deepIy hostile In
their spirit could not but work cumuia tive
Of foreirn ney AIMED Iha no particular class
lacking everything foreign. SO
The First Outbreak,
An outbreak in Shan-Tung, in which
~, German f missionaries were slain was the
teachings. The posting of seditions
placards, exhorting to the utter destrue.
th In OF foreigners and Of every foreign
demonstra tons toward the stranger gained
strength by organization.
me sect. commonly styled the Boxers,
T Seyeloped greatly in the provinces north Of
notable officials. including some in the i'm
mediate councils of the throne itself, be-
came can ,t 22larmingly aggressive, No foreign
ers NE, outside Of the protected treaty
ports. was safe. No foreign Interest was
secure from spoliaticn.
ne aipi3matic representatives of the
powers IN ieklng stroYe in vain to check
5hls movement. Protest was followed hv
demand and demand by renewed protest
~ pe met Win perfunctory edicts from the
palace and evasive and futile assurances
from the tsung-li-yamen. The circle of
the Boxer influence narrowed about Pc
king. and while nomnally stigmatized 10
sedltious. 1t was felt that it's spirit peryad-
ed the capital itself. that the imperial
forces were imbued with its doctrines,
and that the immediate counselors of the
empress dowager were in full sympathy
with the antt-foreign movement.
Effort to Maintain Open Door.
The increasing gravity of the conditions
IN China and the imminence of peril to our
own diversified interests in the empire as
well as to those Of all the other treaty gov
ernnents, We're soon appreciated by this
government causing 1t profound solicitude.
The United States from the earliest DAYS
or foreign Intercourse with China had fol-
ioWea policy OF peace, emitting no occa-
sions to testify good WILL to further the
extension of lawful trade to respect the
sure by all Legitimate and kindly but earn
est means the fullest measure of protec-
ton Tor the lives and property of our law
abiding citizens and for the exercise of
their beneficent callings among the Chinese
people.
Mindful of this, 1t was felt to be appro-
pirate that our purposes should be pro
nounced in favor of such course as would
hasten united action of the powers at Pc
king to promote the administrative reforms
30 greatly needed for Strengthening the
imperial government and maintaining the
Integrity of China, in which we believed the
whole western world to be alike concerned.
10 these ends caused to be addressed to
the several powers occupying territory and
me circular proposals OF 1899. inviting
from than declarations of their intentions
AQd views AZ to the dssiIEbility Of the