Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-12-19
JUSTICE TO coNeER.

The report of Mr.. Rockhill, the spe-
cial commissioner appointed to China
has been submitted to congress. The
report has been long expected but it
comes in time to vindicate Mr.. Con-
ger and is important on account of the
many criticisms of the minister which
led to the reports that the administra-
ton hoped to get rid of him in China
by having him nominated for COVER
nor of Iowa. Mr.. Rockhill says he
fully concurred in all the measures
that Minister Conger had been, and
was then making. This is definite
and as well as gratifying to the
friends of Mr.. Conrer everywhere. Mr..
Rockhill's knowledge of the Chinese
situation is well known all over the
world; he is a student of Chinese lit
erature, well versed in all their Gus
toms, political affairs and religion.
Mr.. Rockhill in his report, goes on
to give some interesting information
as follows:
THE twelve demands made by the
powers on China, the accomplishment
of which was deemed necessary for
the restoration of normal relations
with that country and which We're en-
bodied in the joint note of December
%, 1900, may be classified under four
principal heads:
81. Adequate punishment for the
authors of and those guilty of actual
participation in the anti-foreign mas
sacres and riots.
SO. The adoption of measures ne
cessary to prevent their recurrence.
"S. The Naturalization for losses
sustained by states and foreigners
through these riots; and
"a. The improvement of our rela-
tons, both official and commercial,
with the Chinese government and with
China generally"
A recital of what followed is the
best evidence of the superior diplo-
macy exercised by the American le-
cation. 1t may be condensed as fol
lows:
"As regards the punishment of the
responsible authors and actual perpe-
traitors of the anti-foreign outrages,
the government of the United States,
while insisting that all such should
be held to the utmost accountability,
declined to determine in every case
the nature of the punishment to be in
fiicted, and maintained that the Chi
nese government itself should in all
cases carry them out. AS soon as the
chief culprits had been punished, con-
sidering the terrible losses in life and
property sustained by China, not only
through the Boxers and their adher-
entS, but by the destruction of Tien
Tsin, Picking and the military occupa-
ton of a large portion of the province
of Chi Ii, the United States threw the
weight of its influence on the side of
moderation and the prevention of fur
Their bloodshed. To this it was main
ly due that the long lists of proscrip-
ton, which had been prepared by the
representatives of the powers, of Chi
nese in the provinces charged with
participation in the massacres or riots,
were repeatedly revised before the
presentation to the Chinese govern
ment. The demands for capital pun
ishment were finally reduced from ten
to four and many names, enormously
or on insufficient evidence, placed on
the lists, were removed, or lighter
forms of punishment asked for num-
bers of those left on them"
The firm, yet conciliatory and hui
name policy adopted by the Americans
led the way to a peace that all the
nations desire, yet were incapable of
bringing about except under the lead
of the Americans For the triumph
of this policy the world is indebted to
Minister Conger, of Iowa.