The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1902-01-29
ICHlNA'S ONE FRIEND.
Interesting Role Assumed by
Russia Toward the Empire.

Remarkable Confidential Letter AL
legged to Have Been Written by
Russian Minister Throws Light on
Cars PoIicy-Why lie Keeps Man
churia-TnIlS of wolves and Tigers.
According to advices received at Vic
toria. b. c., from Kai Feng Flu by the
steamer Empress of Japan, confer
ence was held there before the Chi
nese court started for Picking with
Prince Ching, at which the Chinese
statesman submitted to the empress
dowager the suggestions of the repre-
sentatives of Great Britain and the
United States at Picking, says the Phil
adelphia Public Ledger The ministers
asked that the heir apparent, Pu Chun,
be disinherited; Yung Lu TO be kept
from the Chinese court, Iung Fu
Hsiang be decapitated and that the so
called regency of the empress doWager
be abolished and the emperor restored
to position. Fearing to present these
suggestions to the empress, Prince
Ching demurred for some time but
finally put forward the suggestions,
and the empress dowager at once
agreed to depose Pu Chun and execute
Tung Flu Hsiang, but would not agree
to remove Yung Lu from her council
or resign her regency.
Tung Flu Hsiang is said to be beyond
the reach of the empress doWager, be-
ing at Kwangsu, where he is engaged
in forming an army to invade north
China. Yung Lu still retains his posi-
ton as grand councillor, and NJ. Lessor,
the Russian minister. has been max
ing strenuous efforts to secure his ap-
pointment as plenipotentiary to settle
the Manchurian question.
The Tung Wen HUI Poa publishes
the confidential letter addressed to
Grand Councillor Yung Lu by NJ. Les
sor Immediately after the death of Ii
Hung Chang. The document is said
to have been obtained from japanese
sources and is as follows:
"As your excellency is doubtless
aware. the territories of our two coun-
tries are in touch with each other and
among foreign countries Russia is the
nearest neighbor of China from geo.
graphical point of view. Everything
that affects the interests of one fully
affects those of the other.
"In consequence of this Russia has
always looked forward to that day
when China may be prosperous and
powerful. Unfortunately the Boxer
disturbance broke out last year, and all
the foreign powers took advantage OF
the occasion to send their hostile ar
mics into China. Though we tried to
refrain from participating in the expe-
dition, it was in vain. We labored
most strenuously to persuade the al
lied forces to evacuate Picking as soon
as the legations had been relieved.
subsequently when the Japanese at
tempted to snatch the power of polio
ing the city of Picking from the hands
of the Chinese authorities we stood OBJ
stinately in their way, and so their IN
reasonable attempts were frustrated.
"When all the allied powers joined to-
gether in debating to China the pun
ishments of those Chinese officials who
were suspected by them of having
countenanced the Boxers. we eXerted
every effort IT, get as many officials ex-
empted from punishment as possible
in order to protect the dignity of your
country. 1t is needless to say that 1t
was entirely due to that strong and
persistent opposition that your excel
lency was not included in the list. We
have tried and done everything in our
power to protect the interests of China.
and it is for this reason that we have
earned the mplacable hatred OF all the
other powers He. the late Ii Hung
Chang. was a very farsighted and able
statesman. who had always been on
friendly terms with us because he
knew that Russia was the only true
friend of China.
with regard to Manchuria. it is a
place where the present dynasty had
its origin How can the Chinese gov
eminent permit Il number Of wolves
and tigers to intrude into this impor-
tant province Of the Chinese empire!
We knew that unless we stepped for
ward China would be powerless against
those wolves and tigers. We there
fore made haste in dispatching strong
army southwark to protect this prov
ince from being invaded by the other