The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1900-12-07
THE MESSAGE
President Mckinley Presents his
Views to Congress.
Reviews the General Condition oil
Our Public Affairs.
China, Cuba, Porto Rico and Philip
pines are Considered.
He Makes Several Important and
Timely Recommendations.

Congress having re-assembled. q
communication from the president OF
the United States was read as follows
10 the Senate and House of Representa-.
tives:
At the outgoing of the old and the in
voming of the new century you begin ths
dast session of the fifty-sixth congress
with evidences on every hand of individ'
'ual and national prosperity and with
proof of the growing strength and in
'creasing 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 it and the
determination to preserve 1t are more
universal than at any former period of
cur history.
The republic was never so strong, be
cause never so strongly intrenched In the
rt$earts of the people as now. The con-
Hution, with few amendments, exists
TIt left the hands of its authors The
Editions which have heen made to it
proclaim larger freedom and more ex-
tended citizenship. Popular government
has demonstrated in it's one hundred and
twenty-four years of trial here it's stabil-
ity and security, and its efficiency as the
best instrument OF national development
AnA the best safeguard to human rights.
When the sixth congress assembled in
November, 1900, the population of the
United States was 6,S0S,4S3. 1t is now
y6904.799 Then we had sixteen states.
tory consisted of 909,05O square miles. 1t
n now 3,S46,595 square miles. Education,
religion and morality have kept pace with
eur advancement in other directions, and
while extending its power the govern
Oent has adhered TO its foundation prin-
ciples and possessions. A nation so pre-
70 God and invokes His guidance and the
continuance of his care and favor.
CAe Chinese Troubke.
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
The president then recites 1.-THE circum-
stanoes and conditions leading up to the
tragic climax of the fall Of Pekin and the
oevelopuent of the Boxer. movement. He
eous how the course OF this country has
BEEN for peace with China and Of our ulti-
mate desperation with the, powers to pro-
tect citizens and property. Always en-
oeavoring to treat the imperial govern
Rent as sincere in their effort to suppress
The Boxer movement.
The message then continues:
The siege and the relief Of the legations
ens passed into .undying history. In all
the stirring chapter which records the
heroism of the devoted band. clinging to
hope in the face of despair, and the I'm
damned snirit that led their BELIEVERS
through battle and suffering to the goal
1t Is a memory OF which my countrymeI
may be justly proud that the honor of
our flag was maintained alike in the siege
and t&e rescue, and that stout American
hearts heve again set high, in ferveEt
emulation with true men of other race
and language, the indominable courage
that ever strives for the cause of right
and Justice.
The message reviews In detail the siege
giving many facts hitherto known only liz
official correspondence, and then refers &c
the march on Pekin as follows:
Toward the end of July the movement
began. A severe conflict followed at Tein
Tsin, In which Col. Liscum was killed
The city was stormed and partly destroy
ed. Its capture afforded the base of on
erations from which to make the final adj
vance, which began in the first days OF
August. the expedition being made up OF
Japanese, Russian, British and Ameri-
can troops az the outset.
On August IA the capital was reached
After q brier conflict beneath the walls
the relief column entered and the lega-
tons were saved. The United States sol.
diersa s2ailors and marines, officers and
men alike, in those distant chimes and I'M
usual surroundings, showed the same val.
or, discipline and good conduct, and gave
proof of the same high degree of intelli-
gence and enlciency which have distin-
guishsd them In every emergency.
From June 20 until July IL" writes
Minister Conger, there was scarcely an
hour during which there was not firing
upon BONE part of our lines and into
some ef the legations, varying from a
single Ehot to "A general and continuous
attack lalong the whole line" Artillery
was p4ced around the legations and on
the overlooking palace walls, and thou
sands q 3-inch shot and shell were fired, !
destroyhg some buildings and damaging
all. Solehickly did the balls rain that,
when tn ammunition OF the besieged ran
low, five quarts OF Chinese bullets were
gathered in an hour in one compound
and recakt
During the Siege the defenders lost 8s |
killed. l5 wounded. and by disease-nhe
last all children. The
Polly of the United -states
through al this trying period was clean. !
y announced and scrupulously carriet |
out. cifular note to the powers dated |
%uy !, our S. ; ndr9S a., Trsa
yxs.. .TWarchy. in which the great prov.
snng turA snxsodth and southeast had nc
we r4;arded the local authorities
Chinese people with whom we sought &C
remain in peace and friendship. Our de-
clared aims involved no war against the
Chinese nation. We adhered to the legi. |
innate once OF rescuing the imperiied |
legation, obtaining redress for wrongs |
already suffered, securing wherever pos:
sibIe the safety Of American life and
spread Of the disorders or their reoacur.
renee.
AS was then said. "the policy Of the
"a shc Obitco hotaecs ~ |
seek solution which may bring aboui
permanent safety and peace to China,
preserve Chinese territorial aud admins.
teed 20 friendly powers by treaty and in
law, and safeguard for thu
world the principle Of equal aBd impair
tial trade with all parts of the Chinese
empire"
AS soon as the sacred duty of relieving
our legation and It's dependents was &C.
complished we withdrew from active hos.
tilities. leaving our legation under an ade.
Quate gus Ptkin as a channel Of ne.
yeustion - settlement-a course adopt.
Cd by ,ot Of the interested powers
Ovcrtures OF the empowered representa-
cves OF the Chinese emperor have beeh
entertained.
The Russian Prop0sifSoa
looking to the restoration Of the imperiat
power In Pekin has been accepted as 10
null consonanoe with our own desires, fos
Ne have held and hold that effective re.
paration for wrongs suffered and an en-. |
durfng settlement that will make theis
recurrence impossible can best be brought
about under an authority which the Chi.
lese nation revereDces and obeys. While
20 Going we forego no jot Of our un.
doubted right to exact exemplary and de
errent punishment Of the Responsible au,
hors and abettors Of the criminal acti
whereby We and other nations have suf
cred grievous injury.
Fer the real culprits thu evil counsel
- who bays wjs)ed the Imperial judy