The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-04-04

Pekin, April 3.-The Chinese govern
ment has formally notified Russia that
China, owing to the attitude of <he pow
ers. is not able to sign. the Manchurian
convention.
1T is China's desire, says the formal
notification. Ito keep or friendly terms
with all nations. At present she is go
ms through a period which is the most
perilous in the empires history, and it
is necessary that she should have the
friendship of all.
However much she might be willing
70 grant any special privileges to one
power, when others object. it is impos-
sl0ie, for the sake of making one ma
ton friendly, she should ALLEVIATE the
Sympathies of all others"
Ii Hung Chang says this letter set
ties the matter definitely, and that Rus
STA was Informally notified to the same
effect March %. Prince Ching asserts
that every Chinaman except Ii Hung
Chang was against signing the conven-
lion.
Washington. April 3.-Cfreat interest
was manifested in official and dioIO-
matte circles tonight over the report
that the Chinese had determined not TO
sign the Manchurian agreement. No
official information has reached this
government or the principal foreign
S4iAbe@SSlNS.. L . TIE tluSSldlk ambassador
the news came as a great surprise. s
he had hoped for a successful cOncIu-
sion of the convention. Russia, he said
had informed the Chinese government
that she did not mean to take Man
churia, and that her desire was to
make such arrangements as would
avoid a repetition in the future of the
Boxer troubles OF last summer. The
ambassador declined. in the absence of
official adViceS, to indicate what prob
ably would be the future course of his
government.
Russia Controls Situation.
Russia, in a measure, controls the
situation in Manchuria, as She has pos
session Of the country, and the great
mass of her soldiers now in Asia are
within that territory. China having
refused the terms specified by Russia,
the Russians assert she may take her
own good time and retire from the
country whenever she is inclined to do
So She has proclaimed to the World
Jhat her intentions regarding Man
churia are entirely honorable, that the
proposed agreement was purely tenn
porary and not intended to impair the
sovereignty of China or to injure the
interests of The other powers
Such being the case. it was suggested
by a diplomat tonight that che powers
must have confidence in the honesty of
the Russians The suggestion is made
also thai perhaps the Russians may
attempt to obtain a further modifica-
ton of the proposed agreement with
China, or only seek to obtain from the
powers opposed to it in its present form,
the points Of objection held by them,
with a view to the preparation of a
further document that will overcome
many Of these objections and assure,
without any equivocation whatsoever,
the absolute integrity of the Chinese
empire, and render it free from any en-
tanglement that may menace 1T as the
results of such agreement.
The United States was firm in the
opinion that it was ineXpedient for the
Chinese government to enter into a
treaty with any of the powers inter-
ested in the present status of the Chi
nese situation pending the general set
Element of the matters at issue. and
this position. backed by the views of
other governments. il is felt here, has
been an important factor with the i'm
perial government in determining its
attitude upon the Russian govern
ss.2-.t.