The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-05-06
AN EARLY SETTLEMENT
MINISTER CoNGER SAYS POWERS
WILL REACH TERMS VERY SOON.

NEW YORK, May 5.-Bginister E. II.
Conger, who has lately returned to this
country furnishes an article on the
Chinese situation, which will appear in
the coming number of Leslie's Weekly.
Mr.. Conger says in part;
Unless matters have changed very
materially since 1 left China six weeks
ago, the powers will reach some conclu-
sicn in regard to China very soon. OF
course it is difficult for eleven men to
agree on anything, especially when they
have eleven governments with different
views behind them. China is perfectly
willing to do anything that the powers
agree upoE-that is, anything within he.'
ability to accomplish. She is only too
anxious to expedite these matters and
settle down to peaceful pursuits again.
OF course, the powers must not demand
an indemnity, which China will be phys
ically unable to raise. It is not certain
that, finally, some nation may not de-
mand territory of China in lieu of
money indemnity. 1t is perfectly certain
that if any nation does make this demand
the partition of China will follow, and
this will inevitably cause much disscnsion
between the powers. These difficulties
and disputes would be long In the set
tling and would lead to terrible confusion
in China.
Russia has so far mitigated her de-
mands that there is not now much dam
ger of serious difficulty between her and
Japan. Personally ] am very much in
favor of the continued existence of China
as an empire, governed by her own ern-
peror. Tt will save us and all the rest of
the world lots of trouble If the integrity
of the empire is maintained.
"As far as the punishment of Chinese
officials goes, China has already done all
that she could. Something out Of the
ordinary had to be demanded by the
powers, for it takes a good deal of pun
ishment to impress this people, and this
was no ordinary offense, In some cases
the officials 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 I understand that I was
thought bloodthirsty, but. in China I was
the most lenient of all the ministers, eX-
cept one. We knew the conditions better
than those who were not there could pos
sibly know them. Drastic measures were
demanded but I do not think that we
were cruel. What would seem g. severe
punishment to US at homo would not i'm,
press the Chinese at all, for the reason
that they indulge in so many cruel and
unusual punishments. The reports of
cruelty on the part of soldiers have been
grossly exaggerated, though I am sure
that there was plenty Of brutality on the
part of individual soldiers. AS an army
the allies were exceedingly well behaved.
Nor were the stories of unrestricted loot
ing true In Pekin 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 COM
pound, had we been able to fasten upon
anything that would help us to withstand
the siege AS for the reports of mission.
arv looting they were undisguisedly false.
The missionaries did not loot"