Durango semi-weekly herald., 1903-04-09
CHINESE
REPORTS
ALARMING

H'h' iiihS reports sun continue to
come in from China, chiefly from mis-
sionary and mercantile sources. and
while they are not indorsed or even
credited by official authorities they
are sufficient to cause a general feel
ing OF apprehension. Dispatches from
the American legation in Picking give
no ground for uneasiness and private
letters from persons who are in po-
sition to know what is going on at the
Chinese capital renew the assurance
that there is no cause for alarm and
declare that the anti-foreign prejudice
at court is gradually subsidng and
that the authorities are too wise to
provoke another encounter with the
European powers.
The story that comes from the mis-
sionaries and merchants is that ever
since Prince Tuan and General Tung
We're allowed to escape the penalty of
| their connection with the Boxer move
ment in 1900 they have been organic.
ing and plotting for an overthrow of
the present government and the eleya-
ton of Pu Chun. the son of Prince
Tuan, 10 the dragon throne. Pu Chun,
as You may remember was proclaimed
heir apparent by the empress dowager
before the Boxer troubles, but the
edict was revoked at the demand of
the European ministers. and the young
prince has since been in banishment
with his father and General Tung in
the distant province of Kansu in the
| far interior OF China.
There is no doubt that General Tung
has been organizing large army and
has been drilling the natives of Kansu
province to use modern arms. He is
well supplied with Mauser rifles.
which ii is claimed have been furnish
ell him by order of the empress dowa-
| ger and have been shipped from the
arsenals al Shanghai and Hangkow.
| Ii is asserted that certain foreign mer-
chants in Hangkow have been
importing rifles and ammunition
in large quantities, which have also
been shipped to General Tung. The
| faci that he has nlentv nf rnnr;.,
| war is not denied, but ii is argued that
he is so far distant in the interior
| more than 1000 miles-that it would
take him year to march an army to
| Peking. and that it would be impossi-
| BILE for him to do so without fighting
nearly every step of the way, because
of the opposition of the viceroys and
governors of the several provinces
| that lie between Kansu and the coast
In reply TO this, however, it is as
serted that Prince Tuan and General
Tung have the sympathy and co-opera-
ton OF the empress dowager, the
grand secretary, Yung LII; the grand
councillor. Lu Chuan-lin; and Ii Lien
ying. the chief eunuch of the court.
| 1t is believed that these persons who
are in absolute control of the govern
ment, have encouraged and assisted
| Prince Tuan and General Tung in
| what is apparently rebellion against
| their authority, just as they assisted
the Boxers in 1899 and 1900 and that,
as soon as the proper time comes,
| Kuang Su, the emperor Is to be made
away with and Pu .Chun placed upon
the throne AS soon as this is accom-
plished, according to the pessimists.
all the foreigners in the empire are TO
be massacred without distinction mis-
| sionaries and merchants, beginning
with the diplomatic representatives at
! Peking
| AS evidence of the treachery of the
empress dowager and her associates,
it is asserted that, although she is
openly pretending to advocate reor-
ganization of the government upon
modern lines, and has issued edicts
| to the governors of the various pro-
vnces for the establishment of insti-
tutions of modern instruction and for
the introduction of foreign methods of
doing business she has secretly sent
instructions that her orders shall be
ignored. as they We're intended to
humbug the foreigners The fact that
the viceroys and governors are doing
nothing in the line of reform, as order
ed by the published edicts, is regarded
as conclusive evidence of the insincer-
ity of the government, and it is recall
ed that the empress dowager was
never so cordial towards the members
of the legations and other foreigners
as during the few months preceding
the Boxer siege.
The best evidence of the friendly
disposition of the empress dowagei
| toward NIt u ulltu oNdi'o lloIh .
Washiongton point of view is the cree
ton OF the new legation building here
and the appropriation Of 100000 foI
an exhibit at the St Louis exposition
and Sir Liang will doubtless tell III
that the rumors Of anti.foreign cru
sades are without foundation. But ;
much more competent witness is th'
Count Cassini. the Russian ambassa
dor at Washington. who has spent |
: good part of his life in China and Il
largely responsible for the influence
! which his government now exerts IL
the affairs of that empire. 1t was h
who made the treaty which gave th
Russians control OF Manchuria. and h
prevented the japanese from reapinI
the fruits of the war of 1895. Since h
came to Washington Count Cassin
has naturally kept in touch with CHI
> nese affairs. and his opinions are q
: the highest importance.
In IN interview with represents
tivesuf Harpers Weekly. published re
Gently, Count Cassini warns the Eur'