The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-07-24
ROCKHILL'S MISSION.
What He Is Expected to Ac-
complish on Reaching China.

Washington, July 24.-w. w. Rockhill.
who has been selected as special COM
missioner by the president to go to
China, returned to Washington this
morning from Block Island and began
Immediately preparing for his long jour
ney. He has decided to take Mrs. Rock
hill with him and sail from San Fran
cisco on the American-Maru of the Jap
anese line. He will leave Mrs. Rockhill
at Yokohama or NagasaIf. while he
goes to Shanghai At that point he will
determine in which direction to proceed.
Mr.. RockhilI does not underestimate
the extent of the task set for him by the
president. He is tc act as the eyes and
ears of the administration in China, to
make careful inquiry into the existing
conditions, to learn the exact causes OF
the present uprising. and report the
facts directly to the president for his
guidance in the ultimate settlement, and
in framing his policy for the future.
This task will involve large amount
of travel in China. Mr.. Roekhin is of
the opinion that it viii not be sufficient
to merely look into conditions in Shan
tung province and perhaps in Pelxin, II
he can obtain access to that capital He
also must visit other provinces and
cities where there is disquiet and dam
ger to foreign interests and this will be
fraught with perhaps some personal
risk. But it is regarded as a necessary
undertaking if the president is to be put
into possession of a comprehensive un-
derstanding of Chinese conditions.
1t is expressly stated that Mr.. Rock
hill is going to China simply as an OBJ
server for the president. This is techni-
cally true, but it also may be stated
that he will be entrusted with full di-
plomatic powers later on if it seems ex-
pedient and in the interest of an early
settlement of the Chinese problem to
have directly followed an agent Of the
United States government. 1t is even
probable that he will be the next minis
ter to Pekin if Minister Conger has per-
ished. 1t is gathered here that the Ger
man government has done something OF
the same kind and all the assurances OF
the death of the German minister to
PelSin, Baron Won Ketteler are so strong
as to leave no doubt of the fact of his
DEATH yet it is understood that the Gre
dentialS of Baron Mum Won Schwartz
zenburg, now on his way to Tiens Tsin,
are as yet only those of a diplomatic
agent of the German government, max
ing his position thus correspond closely
to that of Mr.. ROckhill. 1t also has
been noted that the British government
has taken similar action in dispatching
to China Sir Walter Hillyer He is well
known to Mr.. RoCknill, having been
British consul at a Chinese port during
the presence of the American commits
sioner in Pellin as secretary of legation.
| other European powers having direct
| interests in China will follow these ex-
amples and thus it may happen that
the international commission idea, or
| iginally contemplated by the United
States as a means of settlement OF the
Chinese trouble may take a form ac-
| ceptable to all concerned. 1t would
seem entirely possible that the powers
may decide to take advantage of the
gathering in China of such an able body
of experienced orientalists and diplo-
matiStS to commit to them the task OF
reaching a concord which will harmon
iously settle all of the differences that
have arisen, not only between China and
the powers, but between the powers
themselves as a result of the boxer up
rising.
Mr.. Rockhfll will take no staff with
him, relying upon picking up in China
such help as he may need in a clerical
way. During his absence in China,
which by the way. he says will not be
long, the bureau of American republics
will be under the temporary direction OF
Secretary Guzmen and Chief Clerk Fox.