The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-01-02
STARTLED Them.
Foreign Ministers Are Surprised
and COnfOunded
By China's Prompt Acceptance
of Peace Terms.
SEEK A WAY OUT
Must Find Some Way to Pro-
long Negotiations.
They Are Far From Being
Agreed Among Themselves.

New York, Jan. "A dispatch to the
Herald from Pekin says:
The prompt acceptance by the Chi
nese government of the preliminary de-
mands of the powers has taken away
the breath of the foreign ministers who
sare not prepared to go or. If they do
so the differences Of an apparently ir-
reeoncilable nature which the question
of indemnity creates in diplomatic
quarters will be revealed
AS a precaution and for the sake Of
delay the ministers have asked the Chi
nese ptenlpOtent ntiarieS to put the accept
ance of the note in a. solemn form.
It is generally believed that Paris and
Washington will take the initiative in
future negotiations.
Reliable information came from the
court today that the emperor had sue
ceeded in sending General Tu1g Fuh
Slang and his army westward. His
majesty is preparing to return to Pekin
by slow marches He will not enter
the city until the allies leave.
dispatch to the Herald from Vienna
says:
The latest developments in the Chi
nese question are fayOrably received in
official circles here Warnings are
heard in some quarters, however,
against too optimistic a view of future
events.
The acceptance of the Joint note may,
after all, restlt in triumph for China,
because she hopes thereby to obtain
an armiStice and possibly may have al
ready done so. It will be ascertained in
a few days, when negotiations are in
progress, whether the arrangement viii
work. The entire course of events thus
far has left some scepticism here re-
garding the sincerity of the Chinese
love for peace.
MOVING RAPIDLY.
Washington, Jan 2.-Following at an
interval of one day close upon his an
nOuncement that the Chinese emperor
had decreed the acceptance Of the Pek1n
agreement. Minister Conger cabled the
state department under date of Pekin,
January 1, that the next step had been
taken, and that the ministers had been
notified formally not only that the
agreement was accepted by the Chinese
government, but that that government
felt able to guarantee a performance of
the conditions imposed. It was appre-
hended that there would be much diff
Guilty in settling the important subject
of indemnities and the Encouragement of
the commercial treaties between China.
and the powers, which is provided for
only in general terms in the agreement
is expected to present equal difficulties
in the arrangement Of details.
It is absolutely essential to harmo-
nious relations in the future that there
shall be no discrimination in the max
ing of these treaties. If by covert ar
rangement one power is to obtain COM
mercia1 advantage over the others. the
result win be the cause of diSsatisfac-
tion. Therefore it is within the bounds
of probability that the outcome of ne
gotiations under this subhead of the
agreement touching commercial ar
rangements will be the framing of
something like general convention
which may be signed collectively or
singIy by the powers, but which win in
sure uniform treatment to all
The Chinese governments guarantee
of it's ability to perform the acts called
for by the agreement is now expected
to be followed by the prompt arrest and
punishment of the boxer leaders and
symparhizers, who were named in the
decree of September %, as follows:
Prince Chwan Prince Vi, second
Princes Tsai Lain and Tsai Ying, Prince
Tuan. Duke Tsai Lain and the presi-
dent of the censorate, Ying Men, as
sistant grand secretary Of the civil
board, and Chao Chu-Chao.