Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-12-31

were oniy alarmed at THIS apparent mani
festation of general apathy.
President Mckinley carried all the states
which gave him their electoral votes iii
1895, and Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming and
South Dakota besides. The republicans
will have a larger majority in the next
House than in that elected in 1898. and
the prospects in states which elect United
States senator's are favorable
THE CRISIS IN CHINA.
Revolutionary Effort to Expel For
efgners Causes n World Panic.
The indications of the coming. of the pres
ent troubles in China were manifested early
in the beginning Of the year, but their i'm
port was scarcely understood by the gov
ernments Of the outside world or even by
their representatives at the Chinese capt.
tai. On January "a an imperial edict an
ncunced that the Emperor Kwang Su was
In Ill health and unable to perform his Off
cial duties. To Pu Chun, son of Prince
throne and the empress dowager placed at
the head of the empire as regent
This announcement was received by the
representatives of the powers In Pekin as
the work of the empress herself. 1t was
generally considered that the nominal with
drawal of the emperor from the head of
Chinese affairs was not voluntary action
a. all, and it was even surmised that this
action had not only been forced upon him.
but 1t was even suspected that he had
lost his life along with his power.
kwang Su is the nephew of the empress
dowager. She had nominated him the
Chi, who had died without issue The
heir apparent. To Pu Chun, was reported
to be but nine years of age. In addition
to this sudden action on the part of tina
eral-in-chief of the Chinese forces and
nearly all the high officials, who were
either known to be, or suspected Of being,
in sympathy with the advanced ideas of
the deposed emperor.
China'sp Great Trade.
China has an annual commerce esti-
mated at nearly ssOoeOO,C0O Great Bril-
tain's share of this trade is more than
twice much as all the other countries
together. The share of the United States,
which is second in the list of the bene-
ficiaries of this great commercial enter
prise Is estimated at $50,OOO000.
In this connection a speech of the Chi
nese minister at the annual dinner of the
American IAsiatic Society In New York last
January attracted widespread attention.
He warned the people Of the United States
that unless the Chinese exclusion act was
modified the people of China would boycott
our goods. He insisted that China was a
sovereign power and as such entitled to all
the considerations awarded by the other
pc wers to each other.
Regarding the open door policy in China,
Current History says: THE mistake has
been made Of confusing the open door with
free trade. The open door means simply
equality of opportunity; it has nothing to
do with tariff except to insure that what
ever duty, high or low, are laid on goods
to any one nation shall be exactly the same
as on the same goods from all other ma
tons"
During February and March there were
many reports Of serious disorder, especial
ly in Shan Tung and Chill provinces. About
this time the cables began to bring news of
the doings of Chinese reactionary society
known as the Boxers" With these re-
ports came the announcement that the Chi
nese government was either powerless or
unable to suppress the lawlessness Of this
society. Edicts were issued directing all
viceroys to warn armed organizations to re-
frain from hostile acts toward native Chris
tians. With these reports also came ru-
mors from Chinese sources Of a raising of
a Chinese army in the interior to march
against the empress dowager. Finally the
representatives of the powers, in a joint
note dated August Z. demanded Of the Chi
nese government the suppression Of the
Anti-Foreign League, known as the Box
ers, which was credited with responsibility
for the disorders The government prompt
ly responded with promises to carry out the
object Of the demand, but as usual did
nothing. This failure on the part Of the
government finally led the ministers in Pc
kin to suspect that the empress dowager
suppress this society. but was really in
sympathy, If not in league. with it.
Significance of the Name.
The name of this society in Chinese Is
IT Ho Chuan," which Is, translated,
righteousness, Harmony, Fists" It's orig
inul purpose was set forth to be the training
Of young men in gymnastic and pugilistic
exercises for purposes Of Justice and peace
When the real purpose of the league was
discovered foreign residents in China he
gan to urge their respective governments
to interpose and offer forcible protection
to their citizens, where the Chinese govern
ment had failed Minister Conger was no.
tilted by this government to take such ac-
ton for the protection of American citizens
deemed expedient. but not to act with any
view for the establishment Of a prospective
sphere of American influence.
BY June the position of the foreign mis-
sionaries in this province. as we'll as of the
adjoining provinces. had become one Of an
extreme danger. i THAR withdrawal from
the interior was seen to be imperative. Even
the foreign legations at Pekin were deemed
ernments. Foreign warships were accord
ingly hurried to the ports nearest the scenes
of the disturbances. On May 30. Rear Ad-
m!ral Kempff, commanding the United
States feet landed 100 marines at Taku
and sent them tofTien Tsin whence they
We're to go by railway1to Pekin. Tien Tsin
is about thirty-five miles up the Pei Ho
river from TakT and Pekin is seventy
miles from Tien Tsin.
Foreign Forces at Taku.
On June l twenty-three warships were re-
ported at Taku, as follows: Nine Russian.
three British. three German. three French,
two American. two Japanese and one Ital-
ian. The Chinese government was notified
that If 1t did not give consent. which had
been up to this time withheld, for
these troops to proceed to Pekin. they
would land and force their way to the capi-
tai without this consent.
In this crisis, the jealousy Of each other
ambng the powera again became manifest
and hindered quick and concerted action.
The Russian ships had besides their regu-
lar crews II go troops from Port Arthur,
where 14.000 more were said to be in res
serve. There was a great fear OF In
dependent action on the part Of Rus
sia, with=tlle purpose OF ultimately seixi,ig
territory. Letter deseloptnenfs dispelled
this suspicion TO q great extent. -
On June 10 and II about !. 900 marines
from the- EurcDssa. and unitsd atatee war-i