The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-05-29
CHINESE CRISIS.
Report That Russia Is About to
Land Troops.
Twenty Thousand In Readiness
at Port Arthur.
BOXERS ARE ACTIVE.
EnIisting HOrdes of DesperadOes
in North.
Purpose is to Expel Everything
Foreign.
BOXERS. ARE ACTIVE.

London, May pa special dispatch
from Shanghai says:
1t is believed that Russia is about to
land troops at Taku from Port Arthur.
where 10000 are in readiness. The Chi
nese are reported to be sending large
masses of troops overland from Eu
Nan and Kiang but the general refuses
to assume command on the plea of sick
ness.
''The Boxers assert that they are
confident of receiving support from the
Dowager Empress. Princes Kang vi
and Ching Tuan, and the entire Man
churia army. Throughout north the
Boxers are enlisting hordes of desper-
ADDE'S. They are intent upon expeliing
everything foreign"
Shanghai May 29.-The Russian min
lister at Pe1in has telegraphed asking
that all available gunboats be sent to
Taku.
New York, May ga special to the
Herald from Washington says:
Should the boxer" movement in China
threaten American missionaries and
American interests adequate measures
will be taken to provide them with pro-
lection.
Rear Admiral Kempff, commanding
the senior squadron of the Asiatic
fleet which, according to an order Just
I
of Hong Kong" arrived at Tal1u Mon
day on board the cruiser Newark. He
viii at once communicate with United
! States Minister Conger and arrange
with him to take such precautions as
| may seem advisable. Admiral kernpff
| may send marine guard to Pekin.
/ The authorities are in a very awkward
| position with respect to landing troops
| in China. 1t is not desired to take
| such action, for one reason because
| Americans are distributed at widely
| separated points, and for another rea-
son because the entrance of the Ameri-
| cans would be followed by similar ac-
ton on the part Of the powers of
| Europe.
1t was reported today that Minister
WI had called at the state department
! to confer with the officials relative to
the boxer" movement. This is I'M
true. Minister WI states that he has
not been advised how serious the move
ment is, but he is inclined to believe
that it is exaggerated.
| In discussing the boxer" movement
| the Rev. Isaac Taylor Headland, pro-
fessor in the University of Pelxin, who
left Pekin on March Z. and is now in
| New York, takes a somewhat peculiar
| view of its origin. He said: THE French
Catholic priests are the cause of the
trouble. The French minister in China
had the Catholic priests made Chinese
officials of defined rank, whose business
| it is to decide cases of litigation be
Chinese. When a Catholic priest enters
a Chinese court, if he outrankS the Chi
neSe official he decides the matter. Il
he under ranks him the influence of hi:
official rank amounts to about the sam,
thing.
ct is apparent to the authorities tina
Russia does not propose to be behlni
hand in any move looking to the dis
memberment of the empire and it woul,
not be surprising if some day the worlt
should wake up to find that Russia haC
quietly annexed northern China SuCl
action would probably be precipitatet
by the landing of foreign troops, whicl
would be made the excuse for it.
1T is known that Russia did not joil
with the other powers of Europe il
making representations to the Pekil
government with respect to the boxer
movement, baSing her refusal upon tn
fact she is an Asiatic power. TIL
natural result of her refusal has bee
to increase her influence at Pekin.
THE Chinese charge that the priest
procure decisions in favor of the F'renc
Catholics through their influence, ire
spective of the merits of the case. Thi
! has been going on for a long time, an
the irritation caused by it has resulte
al last in the Chinese forming the soci
cites called the boxers" This in Chi
nese is I-ho-Tuon, the I meaning right
eousness. the no standing for peace
and the Tuon meaning fist which tn
professor illustrated with clinche
| hand.