The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-05-06
COURT OPPRESSED BY FAMINE
SAID TO BE PREPARING TO GO TO
Holman PROVINCE.
Won WaIdersee Expected to Return
i'm Manchuria-The Korean Loan.

NEW YORK. May 5.-Minister f. H.
Conger. who has lately returned to this
country. furnishes an article on the Chi
nese situation which will appear in the
coming number of Lesies Weekly. Mr.
Conger says in part: UNLESS matters
have changed very materially since L left
China, six weeks ago, the powers will
reach some conclusion in relation to China
very soon. OF course IL is difficult for
eleven men TO agree on anything, espe-
ctally when they have eleven governments
with differing views behind them. China
Is perfectly willing TO do anything that
the powers agree upon-that is, anything
within her ability to accomplish. She is
only too anxious TO expedite these mat
ters. and settle down TO peaceful pursuits
again. OF course the powers must not
demand an indemnity which China will be
physically unable to raise.
1T is not certain that finally, some
nation may not demand territory from
China In lieu OF a money indemnity. 1t
is perfectly certain that If any nation
does make this demand the partition of
China will follow and this will newt
ably cause much dissension between the
powers. These difficulties and disputes
would be long in the settling and would
lead TO terrible confusion I'm China. Rus
.sia has so far mitigated her demands
that there is not now much danger of
serious difficulty between her and Japan.
Personally. l am very much in favor
OF the continued existence of China az
an empire. governed by her own Emperor
1t will save us ande-all- -ths-r Of the
world lots of trouble if the integrity
of the empire Is maintained.
LAS far as the punishment of Chinese
officials goes, China has already done all
that she could. Something out Of the ordi-
nary had TO be demanded by the powers
for II takes a good deal Of punishment
TO impress this people, and this was no
ordinary offense. In some cases the Of
hcials whose punishment was de-
manded were more powerful than
the government. and then, of course, the
punishment could not be enforced. Ex-
cept in these cases everything was done
as the powers demanded.
AT home. l understand. 1 was thought
to be bloodthirsty. but in China / was
the most lenient of all the ministers. ex-
cept one. We knew the conditions bet
ter than those who were not there could
possibly know them. Drastic measures
were demanded. but 1 do not think they
were cruel Wnat would seem a severe
punishment to US at home would not i'm
press the Chinese at all. for the reason that
they indulge in many cruel and un-
usual punishments.
1.-The reports OF cruelty on the part
OF soldiers have been grossly exaggerated,
though 1 am sure that there was plenty
OF brutality on the part Of the individ-
ual soldiers. AS an army the allies were
stories of unrestricted looting true In
Peking the soldiers took what they needed.
OF course, just as we would have seized
anything that we needed while we were
Gagged up in the compound had we been
able 10 fasten upon anything that would
help us to Withstand the siege. AS for
the stories OF missionary looting they are
undisgu!sedly false. The missionaries did
not loot"