The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-05-20
RUSS IN NORTH
FRENCH IN SOUTH
France, It Is Said, Contemplates An
nexing Large Territory in
Southern China.
This Means That France and Rus
STA Are Acting in Concert
in the Orient.
And Injects New Element Of Dan
ger Into the Chinese Sit
uation.

Victoria, B. c., May 20.-Alfred Cum
ningham, manager Of the Hongkcng Daily
Press, a passenger on the Kaga Maru,
which arrived last night, said in an in
terview here that Japanese journalists do
not regard .Russia's action In Manchuria
as surprising or unanticipated. &
Mr. Cunningham says that while at
tention Is being maintained in the north
by Russian aggression, a matter of far
greater Importance to America, Britain
and Japan Is being overlooked in the
south. This is the aggressions Of France
In the southern provinces. He is of the
opinion that France and Russia are act
Ing In concert, the former in the north
and the latter In the south. He says
France has bribed the officials Of Kwang-
81 and Is awaiting an opportunity to pour
troops into that province. The south,
said Mr.. Cunningham, is now on the
verge Of a far greater interna tional crisis
than that now in the north, altho at pres
ent the rebellion in Kwang-si is prac-
tlcally brigandage on a large scale
The rebellion in South China, he saws
IS another factor. He adds that the re-
formers have organized the brigands and
predicts a rebellion which will be far
greater than the TAPPING. Large quanti-
Ties OF arms are being shipped to the
rebels, chiefly from the United States,
and headed by the reformers a movement
nature.
to overthrow the empress dowager and
relnstate Kwang-si He says he has in
formation that movement, organized
on an immense scale and including many
provinces, Is liable to begin at any mo-
ment which will have immediate and far
reaching results.
Japs Doubt RussIa's Intentions.
Oriental advices per steamer Kaga
Maru say:
A review Of the Japanese journals
shows preponderance of expression that
churian territory. The Japan Times saws
it is evident that Russia, despite denials,
means to maintain her hold on Manchuria,
even at the risk of war. Japanese pa
pers contain dispatches from many sources
regarding the war preparations of Russia,
The Mainachi has received advices that
large forces of Russian troops are cross
Ing the Yalu river and that 10000 Rus
SLAMS are now massed there.
The Peking correspondent Of the same
paper quotes the empress dowager as stat
ing that IT was impossible to cede Manchu-
ria, whence came the ancestors of the dy-
nasty, to Russia but that 1t might be ad-s
visable to lease Outer Mongolia, which is
contiguous to Siberia, providing the Rus
slams would open the district to trade.
The correspondent adds that Prince
Ching strongly opposed the empress dowa-
ger and that the emperor did not support
the proposal g"
The correspondent says that the Russian
authorities bribed all the officials with the
exception of Prince Ching prior to the pro-
auction of the secret treaty In regard to
Manchuria. The total amount paid out In
brides was over 100000 taels
The Jill Shimpo has a long interview
with the Russian minister at Picking from
its correspondent there. He says the rea-
son Russia opposes the opening Of Man
churia Is that British, Japanese and
Americans, who want to reside there, have
political ends to advance unconnected with
commerce. He says Russia seeks to pro-
hibit the employment of foreigners in
Manchuria in self defense, because 1t is
inevitable that the safety Of NIanchuria
will be menaced If foreigners. go In. Rus
sia, he pointed out, has spent large sums
and sent large forces to develop Man
churia. while Britain and Japan have not
spent a cent there, nor sent a soldier,
and they cannot have any right to inter-
fere with the district. In conclusion the
Russian minister said that In Russia the
opinion was gaining ground that the time
was ripe for the St. Petersburg govern
ment to declare Manchuria a Russian
province instead Of allowing it to remain
In an undecided state.
Japanese correspondents state that the
United States minister at Picking is in
dignant at the offensive attitude adopted
by the Russian ministers.
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