Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-10-19
The Governments View of the
Chinese Proposals.
NO GUARANTEE FOR FUTURE GIVEN
Recent Imperial Edict May Have
Been a "f eeIer."
BEGINNING NEGOTIATIONS

quest upon Secretary Hay that negotiations
| begin tomorrow at Pekin looking to a set
| tlement of the Chinese question. 1t is said
| at the Department Of State that Mr.. Con-
gers instructions are sufficient In breadth
to enable him to proceed with negotiations
| tomorrow without further orders from the
| department
| However, as the Chinese counterpro-
| posals received yesterday through Mr. Con-
| ger appear to warrant further instructions
| fl ON the President and Secretary Hay, Mr..
| Conger will be wired today an outline of
| the course he is to pursue in futherance of
| the plans already committed to his care.
| For obvious reasons the State Department
| has decided not to make public the text of
| these supplementary instructions. But it
| may be stated that government does
| not regard the Chinese tender as Sufhclent
| to meet the necessities of the case. 1t is
| not indicated in what respect they fall
| short the Chinese agreeing, according to
| their note to express regret, admit liability
| for indemnity and yield anything in the
way of treaties, in consideration of the
| withdrawal Of the troops and an armistice.
No Guarantee for Future.
| 1t is inferred that objection is based
| on a lack of guarantees for the present
safety of American citizens and the lega-
| tion in China, well as for the protec-
| ton of missionary and trade interests in
| the future. 1t cannot be gathered that the
| matter of the sufficiency of the punish
ments to be meted out TO the Chinese Of
Tending officials enters into that objection.
Alleged Imperial Edict.
The alleged edict setting out the punish
| ments allotted to Prince Tuan and his fell
low conspirators is surrounded with doubt.
Mr. Conger has advised the Department Of
State that the authenticity of the edict is
called in question in Pekin but nowhere
has the State Department been able to
secure any official statement as to the
character of the edict. The suggestion has
been made that perhaps this emanatlon
was tentative in character, being put out
by the Chinese court, with view to draw
ing forth some expression from the powers
as to what they regarded as suhcient pun
ishment to atone for the Pekin outrages,
and that that purpose having been served,
the edict itself has either been withdrawn,
or has been allowed to remain unexecuted.
The State Department has SO far made no
answer to the Chinese proposal of yester-
day. and as already indicated, will return
that probably through Mr.. Conger.
Thanks of the Chinese Emperor.
The following memorandum giving GER
tain correspondence in regard to the Chi
nese question, was made public at the
State Department this afternoon:
Message of the Chinese emperor to the
President urging early negotiations for q
settlement, and the Presidents reply there
to (handed to the President by Minister
WI, October II, 1900:
The following telegraphic imperial letter.
dated October IA. 1900, forwarded by the
privy council from Tung-Kuan dn shensD
and transmitted from Shanghai by Director
General Sheng under date of October IL,
has been received by Minister WI:
| The Emperor Of the Ia Using Empire to
His Excellency, the President of the
United States Greeting:
We are extremely grateful to your excel
lency for taking the initiative in the with
drawal of troops from Pekin) and for con-
senting, in the interest of friendly relations,
to use your kindly offices between China
and the friendly powers who have been
offended account Of the recent unex-
pected uprising in China.
We therefore especially delegate our en-
WOW extraordinary and minister plenlpO-
tentiary, WI Ting-fang, to personally Ce-
liver this telegraphic letter to your excel
lency conveying our sincere expression OK
thanks
We beg that your excelIency, in the int er-
est of peace and international good rela-
tions, will exert your friendly influence
with the other powers toward the complete
effacement of all i'll feeling and the speedy
determination on their part to negotiate
for a peaceful settlement. For this we
shall feel unbounded gratitude toward your
eXcellency, whose good ofhces we are now
earnestly beseeching.
Communicated to Minister Wu Tor trans
mission October IS, 1900
WASHINGTON, October 1S 1900.
His Majesty kwang Hsu, Emperor OF China.
Greeting:
1t has afforded me much pleasure to re-
ceive your imperial majesty's telegraphlc
letter of October IA, which has been de-
lvered by your majesty's minister in w ASH
ington.
/ cordially share your majesty's wish that
there may be a peaceful settlement OF all
questions between China and the powers
whose interests and nationals have SO
grievously suffered wrong in your majesty S
dominions, and that the outcome may be
the complete effacement of Ill feeling be-
tween them. The desire of this government
that such a settlement may be brought
about speedily has been made known to all
| the powers, and l trust that negotiations
may begin so soon as We and the other
offended governments shall be effectively
| satisfied of your majesty's ability and power
| to treat with just sternness the principal
offenders, who are doubly culpable, not
alone toward the foreigners, but toward
your majesty, under whose rule the purpose
| of China to dwell in concord with the world
| has hitherto found expression in the well
come and protection assured to strangers.
| WILLIAM MCKINLEY.