The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-03-27
Time Limit on Secret Treaty With
Russia Expires, Yet China
Still Hesitates.
CAR is PREPARING FOR WAR.
United States and Japan Against
the Proposed Cession-Agree-
ment to Preserve Celestial
Empire in Danger.

London. March o6.-The Foreign Office am
| the Chinese Minister informed the Associ
| ated Press at 6:15 p. m. Tuesday. that TIL
Nanchurian treaty had not been signed. ac
cord!ng TO their latest advices Tuesday
Whether II would be signed or not they
were unable to say.
REJECT MANCHURIAN TREATY.
| London. March 21.-The Shanghai cor.
! respondent Of the Times wiring Tuesday
! says:
Il am informed on the best authority
| that the Chinese court has instructed L.
| Hung Chang to inform the Ministers OF
| the Powers that China has refused to sign
! the Manchurian convention, and has alsc
| notified all Viceroys to the same effect"
RUSSIA PREPARES FOR WAR.
Constantinople. March 2s.-Advices from
Odessa. the Black Sea port of Russia. say
, that extraordinary preparations for wal
are being made. The naval dockyards are
| pushing work on the Black Sea fleet. while
thousands of soldiers are being dispatched
in haste TO various points of strategic i'm
portance.
The garrisons in all the cities are being
doubled and domiciliary visits are made
continually. with many arrests.
There is a real war fever abroad and the
general impression seems to be that there
will be a conflict in the Far East with
Japan and possibly European Power.
WILL CHINA DEFY RUSSIA.
REPUBI.IC SPECIAL.
Washington. March 2G-Tuesday Is the
last day of the time limit given the Chi
nese by Russia to sign the Manchuran con-
rention and the State Department is await
Ing with considerable interest advices from
Ambassador Tower at St. Petersburg Ind
Special Commissioner Rockhiil al Pekn 1t
Is expected here that Russia will insist
that the conventions, of which there are
two, shall be signed and that China will
not dare to refuse.
The main interest here is over the course
that Japan Will pursue. Nothing has come
yet from Toxic as to the attitude of the
Mikado's Government. Fear is expressed in
Washington that the diplomatic crisis NAV
result in hostilities between Russia and
Japan.
In view of the present aspect of the Man
churian incident, the State Department
made public to-day the text of Secretary
Hays memorandum to the Chinese Govern
ment handed to Minister WI on March 49,
This memorandum vas the outcome of in
formation that China was negotiating Sc
cretly with some of the Powers for the
transfer TO them of valuable territorial
concessions.
The note follows:
Chinese Correspondence. March l. leOi-Tele-
graphic Instructions sent to the representativeS
OF the United States in Berlin. Vienna. paris.
London. Rome Toxic and st. PETERSBURG
Department OF State. Washington March j,
190i.-The following memorandum, which was
handed 20 the Chinese Minister on February ~
is transmitted to you for your Information and
communication to the Government to which you
are accredited:
The preservation OF the territorial integrity n,
China having been recognized by all the Powers
now engaged in join. negotiation concerning the
and citizens by certain officials and subiec,s oS
the Chinese Empire. it is evidently advantageous
understanding upon this subject 1t would be.
therefore. unwise and dangerous in the extrems
slider any proposition Of private nature in
volvinE the surrender of territory or financial
Power: and the Government of the United States.
aiming solely at the preservation of China from
largest and most benicial relations between ~ ss
the empire and other countries: in accordance
of July g. 1870; and in purely friendly spirit
toward the Chinese Empire and all the powers
press its sense of the impropriety inexpediency
and and even extreme danger to the interests OF
n a. Of aTf M .hU the full
engaged in negotiation HAY
Agreement Violated.
The administration believes that the secret
agreement between Russia and China is in
violation of the spirit. if not the letter, of
the general understanding to which all the
Powers subscribed last summer. and the
United States Government Is prepared to
use all Its moral snasion and Influence to
TlTYo1 IN EryIrf hnr thar, ,
that. however, this Government is not pre-
pared to go.
While attention has been centered upon
the crisis connected with the Manchurian
agreement. an entirely new and important
phase of the Chinese question has been
by the action of the Ministers at
ekin, in agreeing yesterday to submit to
their various Governments whether arti-
cles and 9 of the Chinese protocol shall
e e out by the military Y
only by those Powers who are continuing
to take part in the application of these ar
These two articles involve territorial af-
fairs, and 1t may become of considerable |
whether the determination Of such |
authorities of all the Powers or only with |
such Powers as continue their military |
forces in China.
In the latter case the United States Gov
ernmert may be quietly but effectually de- |
prived of all voice in the settlement of so |
much of the Chinese question.
WOULD MEAN PARTITION.
REPUBLIC SPECIAL
Washington. March &c. Great Britain. |
and Japan have given notice to |
The United States that they will regard the
signature of the Manchurian treaty as free 1
ng them from the obligations they assumed |
asst summer TO preserve the integrity of |
China, and that they will proceed to con- |
sider such measures for the protection OF |
heir interests as they may deem advisable
THE United States cannot afford to 60 |
70 war over the Chinese question: a mem. |
Der of the Cabinet said this afternoon "Th. |
country would not support the President in |
any such policy. Protest cannot be made |
Until the Government proposes to vigorously !
support it Finally. the United States can.
lot join any Power or any group of Powers |
n the enforcement of a policy. Independ-
ance of action must be maintained"
The sensational assertions of Mr.. Matsuf |
he japanese secretary of Legation in LON
Ion. this morning. predicting that the sign
Eg of the Manchurian convention will be !
'ollowed by war. will. 1t is expected here |
ne brought by Russia to the attention of |
Japan. and she will be requested to disavow
hem.
Points Under Discussion.
London. March 26-The Reuter- Telegram |
Company has received the following dis
patch:
"Pskin. March 26. p. m.-The report that |
Nhina reiactS fbe Napchurfap 20