Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1905-12-21

As understood here the trouble arose
from the action Of the British assessor in
levying a tax upon a Chinese resident OF
the foreign settlement. The court is a curl
Gus body, made up of a Chinese magistrate
who holds sittings every week day. On two
days OF each week an American official
from the consulate general sits with him
in the capacity Of assessor, on the two
other days a similar German official sits
and on the remaining two week days "a
British representative. This court has jur-
isdiction over all the licenses and taxes
payable by the Chinese i'm the foreign set
tlement Of Shanghai. The Chinese munich
pal authorities have always been jealous Of
this court and there have been many
clashes In the past owing TO the efforts OF
the Chinese TO collect these taxes them
selves. The court also possesses the power
to punish culpTits and frequently causes
the cato -nine-tails to be laid Oh, while the
Chinese whip culprlts with bamboos For
a long time past the Chinese have been
trying TO reduce the authority of the mixed
court, and 1t is inferred here that the pres
cnt trouble has arisen from the assertion
OF jurisdiction by the British officials over
some of the Chinese merchants.
SHANGHAI, Dec. 2O.-All is quiet In
the town today Business has been re-
sumed. but the sailors landed by the war
ships In port remain on duty as pre-
caution against a renewal of the rioting.
The United States gunboat Villa Lobos
| has arrived to reinforce the Baltimore
and the British cruiser Andromeda is eX-
peCted to reinforce the Diadem.
The deadlock growing out of the mixed
court dispute continues. The toatai ad-
heres to his demand for the dismissal Of the
British assessor and police inspectors.
while the British consul refuses to yield.
CHE FOO. Dec. 2o.--1o p. ma prominent
European official who is visiting Chez Foo,
crystalizing the opinions OF persons thor
oughtly acquainted in China and with the
present disorders states that the Shanghai
troubles were the direct result OF the
American boycott. He thinks the American
officials at Washington should have opposed
| the Chinese demands for a revision of the
exclusion laws and insisted upon the i'm
mediate suppression Of the boycott. He
| characterized the boycott movement as an
excuse for an exhibition of anti-foreign
| feeling resulting from an infammatory
propaganda carried on In China through tho
commencement OF the Russo-Japanese war
while the boycott in Itself is harm
less." continues the official quoted, "it has
/ been used by the revolution anti-foreigr
| faction of the Chinese to precipitate a
repetition Of the Boxer troubles, though Il
is probable that the excitable elements have
eluded the control of the real conspirator:
and caused premature demonstrations.
Unless the Washington authorities take
immediate and strong measures to sup
press the agitation in Shanghai" concluded
the official quoted, troubles which are nov
merely local will spread"
The failure of the boycott agitation
appears In Che Foo to be due, undoubtedly
| to the stern demand of American Consu
Fowler that the Chinese refrain from hold
ing meetings or issuing infiammatory pla
cards, resulting in the inability of the dan
gerous Chinese element 10 successfully
prosecute their agitation.