Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-09-14
China's Action Against Ameri-
can Merchants of More Than
Commercial Importance
pEKIN OFFICIALS ACCUSED
They Are Believed to Have Fathered
the Idea Which Has Now Got Beyond
Their controI-Were Ansered by
conser's speech-An Unfortunate
Incident.
Correspondence of the Associated
Press.

Shanghai, Sept 13.-The American
boycott in China is already more thar
a commercial menace 1t is now con-
sidered by many to be the forerun-
ner Of an anti-foreign agitation. Bus
mess men in Shanghai, who at the be-
| ginning were inclined to laugh, have
peer astonished at the name in
which the propaganda has been pro-
mulgated in the interior.
In it's conception. the boycott was
believed to have been fathered by a
group of officials in Pekin. Accord
ing to a report certain Chinese firms
with a large quantity of American
goods in stock took advantage OF the
movement. They, themselves, had
bought forward as far as June, 1906,
and were anxious to keep their smaller
competitors out of the market. The
latter would be prevented from buying
and the instigators OF the scheme
would be able to sell at their wv fig
ures.
Aneered by conger's Speech.
Mr.. Rockwell. the American minis
ter, and consul general in Shanghai,
Mr.. Rogers, assured the Chinese that
their case would be considered by the
next session of congress-. and for six
weeks there was a hull. Toward the
end of June, however, Mr.. Conger. x
minister to China, made a speech. in
which he ridiculed the idea Of Chi
nese organization. This speech, wired
out at once by the Chinese agents in
America, brought down a storm of in
dignation in the native press.
The three students and their sister,
who were so badly treated in Boston,
were related to influential officials.
The incident occurred at q most UNI
fortunate time, for there was violent
comment in the Shanghai journals mi
the demands for an effective boycott
were renewed. Certain of the youn-
ger men in Shanghai, most Of whom
had been educated in Japan, started
a vigorous newspaper campaign, In
sisting that strong measures be taken
to force the United States to revise
their immigration laws.
Native Papers Increase Hatred.
A certain Shanghai paper, edited by
a Japanese and supposedly subsidized
by Toxic, was particularly bitter in its
attacks on America anu the Ameri-
cans. The native press printed sensa-
tional stories, claiming for example,
that $50 Cinnamon had been muir
dered in New York and that similar
affairs We're of daily occurrence. Sub
scriptions were collected from the
wealthy merchants in Singapore, Pc
nang, Hong-Kong, Manila, Canton
and Shanghai, and pamphlets and cir
culars were distributed throughout the
! country. Placards were posted in thu
river ports and the interior cities
cursing and reviling those who were
weak to use American goods. Ameri-
cans were hooted In the streets.
The movement has now passed an
tirely out of the hands of the mer-
chants. The larger piece goods, kero-
sene and cigarette wholesalers all
suggested that it was time to call a
halt.
Agitators Are in Power.
But the agitators are in power.
Where ten years ago there were not
more thar a dozen, there are today
fifty Cinnamon who read newspapers.
The reports of outrages and murders
in America have incensed the people.
They now refuse even to buy certain
kinds Of Japanese and Shanghai milled
goods because they resemble the
American articles, being afraid that
the merchants will try to dispose OF
some of their b%oycotted stock under
another guise.
The men who encouraged the scheme
in the beginning are now sufferers,
where they had expected to reap q
rich harvest. The American manufac-
turers must be paid for all the goods
that have been ordered ahead, and 1t
is doubtful whether a number of the
wealthiest men in Shanghai will be
able to weather the storm unless they
are able to sell or cancel their orders.