Connecticut western news., 1901-01-10
BOLD STAND OF EARL II
For Their Country's Good He and Ching Defy Empress.
A LITTLE UNWRITTEN HISTORY.
LII Explains Some of the Influences. Operative at Court-Con m ssioner. Warned Their Government Against Rejecting Favorable Terms.

Operative at Court-Commissio sioner. Warned Their Government Against Rejecting Favorable Terms. Pekiny, Jan. 9-In an interview with | the correspondent of the New York Sun Ii Hung Chang stated that his colleague, | Prince Ching, and himself had communi- cated to the foreign ministers only the most important part of the edict issued | by the emperor and the empress dowager in which the 12 articles of the prelimi- nary demand note of the powers were ac- | cepted. The edict referrerd to contained | another clause at the end which ordered | the commissioners to arrange certain de | rails with the ministers in an amicable | manner.
 This part had not been communicated | to the foreign representatives, but now | that the full edict had been received Earl Ii and Prince Ching would also notify | the ministers of this section. Lii Hung | Chang said. however, that this clause would not alter the policy of the Chinese peace envoys. They intended to act up- | on the original edict and assume all re | sponsibility, and they would ignore the later decree forbidding them to sign the note.
 "In view of this provision," the corre- | Sponuent aSkeO, are you 1ustlned Ill | signing the treaty?
 portance to the first part of the edict, | approving the 12 articles, and will act
 upon that whatever the consequences | may be to us."
 But if the ministers should ask wheth-
 CT in signing the treaty you had the ap- | proval of your government what would | you say?"
 "We would refer to the first edict,
 which We consider justifes us in sign | ing"
 But if your government should sustain the last edict, forbidding you to sign the | treaty, and should refuse to ratify it aft CT your signatures had been attached,
 what then?"
 'Then the consequences would be with | them and not with us. We have full | filled our full duty. We warned our en- peror in our telegram of yesterday that we should never again have the offer of
 such easy terms and that hostilities will | no doubt be resumed if the first edict is | withdrawn"
 But for your own safety should you
 not hesitate to sign the treaty until you
 have received a reply to your telegram T' "We will not hesitate too long. We will assume all responsibility for the | good of the country"
 "Who is helping Yiceroy Chang Chin Tung with the court?" The Antiforeign Ministers. "The cabinet ministers and General | Jung Lu and Eiceroy Lu Chwan Lin, who was intensely antiforeign during the
 Boxer troubles" General Jung Lu's
 troops fought against the legation guards
 at Peking)
 "Who are on your side with the | court?"
 'Only the cabinet minister. Wang Wen
 Shao, president of the board of revenue, whose liberal influence was powerful wisb
 the empress dowager until Jung Lu and
 I.u Chwan Lin joined the court. The latter took precedence over Wang Wen
 Shao, and the first edict was issued on
 his advice. Lu Chwan Lin is brother
 in-law of Yieeroy Chang Chih Tung and | sworn brother or friend of Jung Lu
 The Nankin viceroy, Liu Kun Nj, anoth- | CT of the peace commissioners like Chang 1 Chih Tung. without plenipotentiary pow
 CTS, has made no sign of opposition and
 is not supporting Chang Chin Tung. He
 is on friendly terms with Prince Ching
 and myself"
 What articles in the treaty have been
 the cause of the trouble?''
 Articles 1. ?. 8, and 10 will present
 no difficulties. and ediets for carrying
 them out will be issued immediately
 The discussion will take place on tht
 other articles, but there is nothing ir
 them that is pressing. We have the ap
 proval of the court to our signatures
 and there is nothing in these articles tC
 delay matters. The discussion that will
 take place over them will be more fol
 the purpose of elucidating matters than
 of altering the original text"
 This is a good example of the bold
 stand taken by Ii Hung Chang ana
 Prince Ching in assuming d great re
 sponsibility which weaker men would | have shirked.