The evening times., 1900-07-17
THE SITUATION IN CHINA
A Close Friend of Kang Yu Wal
Discusses the Boxer Outbreak.
Relieves Russia l. Behind the Anti
Foreign Movement-Not Confined
to the IIIiterate-EnectuaI Means
OF Ending Fanaticism Suggest
ed - Western Uprising Feared.

NEW YORK. July I7.-Conceruing the
troubles that are ROW Devastating the Ce-
IestiaI Kingdom. The Chinese Consul ana
his stan in this city have up TO the present
time maintained a diplomatic silence. The
Vice Consul. Lock Wing. declined TO dis
cuss the situation with z reporter.
but recommended John Chant. a we'll
known Chinese merchant, as by far the
best qualified Chiuaman il Kew York City
TO discuss the situation.
8r- Chant is naturaIized American citi-
zen, who has embraced Christianity. He
spends a great deal OF his time in China.
and is q personal friend OF several Of
the advisers ct the imperial court and
knows tx Empire. over which he has tray-
eled from end 20 end In addition. ne is
personally acquainted with and the friend
OF several Of the men now al the head OF
the Boxer movement.
Mr. Chant has been for a great Iuaay
years close personal friend OF Kans Yu
Wal, one OF the advisers TO the King for
whose head the Empress has made q stand
ing offer OF sI00.000. and who is now in
Singapore under British protection He
said today he also knew personally two
men who were foremost in the Boxer
movement, and from those and other
sources OF information he was led TO his
present opinions. He had reason TO IN
dersIand and believe that Russia was
backing the Boxers and that counselors
from the Russian Government were row
in the imperial palace directing the pres
ent actions between the allied powers and
the Boxers For years IL had been under
stood by all intelligent Chinese favoriag
the King and the reform party that a Sc
cret understanding existed between the
Russian Government and the Empress.
Iii Hung Chang about four years ago. %
said Mr. Chant. was sent TO St Peters
burg tc sign a secret treaty between the
Russian and Chinese Governments by
which the former promised protection 20
the latter against the English and other
powers in return for certain concessions
Of lands and privileges within the Chinese
Empire. Ii Hung Chang's mission was
not an agreeable one for him for his sym
p@thies as was well known. We're with the
reformers. but he had merely 70 obey or
CerS and main tain silence as he well
knew. Nor would he now go TO Pekin. as
dispatches said he intended doing; he
could do nothing there
Following closely upon the trip Of Ii
Hung Chang 10 Russia. continued Nr
Chant. the building OF Russia's great
railroad had been pushed. and il was up
70 the very boundaries Of Pekiu. Just as
hOsuities had all along watched the trend
OF things. and up TO this time il had little
reason 10 change its mind. The vaciIlation
Of Russia. when the other powers wished
to advance to save the foreign Ministers
in Pekin. Was meant 10 give tire 20 the
Boxers TO annihiIaJe the legations. be-
cause they could shed some light. perhaps.
on Russia's meaning and intentions at that
stage.
Then observe the mysterious movements
Of various bodies OF Russian troops. con-
tinued Mr.. Chant who are supposed TO
be somewhere on the borders Of the dis
turbed territory. He was firmly OF the
belief that Russia would come out OF the
present Chinese troubles with an immense
concession. Tuan. the Empress. and the
Boxers were all for helping and being helped
by their powerful neighbOr- Tuan was the
power behind the throne. and the Empress.
as was known. wished his son for her sue
cessor- The reform party was puerile be-
fore this combination and its able. will
ing. and tyraBnical agents. the mandarins.
from whom there was no appeal. and all of
whose interests and lives were bound up
in the success Of the Boxers in the present
struggle
"As to the Boxers being a new organ
ization which has sprung up from some
unknown cause declared Mr.. Chant. this
is not true at all The Boxers have exist
ed for two hundred years, and came into
existence during the Ming dynasty in Op-
position to Manchuria and the Manchu-
rians. whom they did not class as Chin
ese- They have always fOurished, although
in secret, as Outwardly the Government
would be forced TO suppress them and
kill them of If they made themselves
known. Their cry OF China for the Chin
eSe and away with all foreigner which
meant enemies 10 their doctrine within
as well as strangers from withOut-made
them a power not TO be despised by the
reigning Government. because If the en-
pire were in danger they could be depend
ed upon to rise in their might with the
Government.
While many within the ranks Of the
Boxers are ignorant it is q mistake 10
suppose that they are recruited from the
! illiterate classes only. Some OF the first
gentlemen Of China belong to the Boxers,
and hundreds of them are finished from
| the best European schools. They merely
want no foreign Intervention or religious
pstronizing, believing that they have the