Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-05-07

to confirm the appointment on ac-
count of his youth and inexperience.
After making several unsuccessful
efforts to get appointments for this
position confirmed, President McKin-
ley thought of Conger. He learned
that he would be satisfactory to the
senate and a cablegram was immedi-
ately sent asking if he would accept.
Conger replied in the affirmative, will
ing to assist the administration out
of the difficulty.
He hated to leave Brazil, however.
as he was very much attached to the
country and his relations there were
of the pleasantest.
Minister to China.
Major Conger's career in China is
familiar one. He reached his post of
duty in the early summer of 1898 and
during the first year of his service as
| minister there was little in his work
that was unusual. His fidelity to the
interests of the American people soon
became proverbial and the hard, con-
scientious work he did, his manner of
attending rigidly to the smallest de-
tail can be read between the lines Of
| his official reports on file in Wash
ington He soon became popular with
Chinese officials and at the same time
with fellow members of foreign lega-
lions. Many stories of Minister Con-
gers firmness and unfailing courtesy
are told by American missionaries in
China who always found ready hear
| ing and whose interests were given
/ the most careful consideration. An
American missionary was at one time
held under arrest near Picking on
what was soon seen to be a trumped
up charge. Minister Conger demand
ed the immediate release of his coun-
tryman and was met with the reply
| that the orders from the Chinese gov
eminent were to hold him under ar
rest.
i 81 don't care anything about that"
said Major Conger Shut / merely tell
you that the United States demands
the mans immediate release and the
United States, you know, is accustom-
ed to get what it wants"
Without more parley the missionary
was released. This is said to be but
one of the numerous instances in
which the interest of the American
missionary were carefully guarded.
l In August, 1899, Major Conger start
ed on long trip to the various Ameri-
can consulates throughout the Chinese
empire. On this trip he was entertain
ed by more Chinese officials than any
other American or perhaps, than any
other foreigner of recent years. He
strengthened in many respects the in
fiuence of the United States with the
viceroys and chief subordinates of the
imperial government and at the same
: time familiarized himself with all that
, part of the empire of immediate COM
, mercial Importance. The receptions
. given to him by each viceroy In the
/ provinces were unprecedented and the
festivities for him at Canton and other
= great cities far eXcelled all earlier hon
ors to foreign officials. The highest sat
: isfaction was openly expressed by the
. state department of Minister Conger's
+ report of his tour to the provinces.
r While Major Conger was making
K this long official trip through the en-
Q pire, Mrs. Conger and her daughter re-
turned to the United States for a Wis
/ it. spending most of their time in this
country in Des Moines. At that time
they spoke in high terms of the Chin
A csc people and especially of the dow
q ager empress, Mrs. Conger exhibiting
E with considerable pride ring she had
a received from her on the occasion OF
n visit to the imperial palace.
r The story Of the siege in the lega.
ton during the time of the Boxer re,
g bellion has been best told in letters
q which have been received from Mrs
e Conger, Miss Conger and Miss Mary
l. Pierce. These letters which were
d written in the form of diary to Des
O Moines relatives, give graphically the
g. story of the siege, which continued
3 from May 13 to August 10 and during
g which time life was not only constant
e ly imperiled, but death in the most
horrible manner conceivable was
q threatened.
VI After the siege had concluded he
S stayed at his post until the last official
l. duty had been discharged and is re
e turning for his rest almost one year
/ after the beginning of the Picking
L siege.