New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-14
BOYCOTT A BOOMERANG.
Shan ghai Merchants Alarmed -
Cause and Spread of Movement.
rcorrsspondence q 20 Assoe.ated 20 ]

Correspondence OF The Associated Press
shanghai. Aug. 15.-The American boycott in
China is already more than a commercial menace
7 Is now considered by many to he the forerun-
ner Of an anti-foreign agitation. Business men
~ Shanghai who. at the beginning, were in
clined 10 laugh. have been astonished at the
manner in which the movement has been car
RED out in the interior.
The conception OF the boycott was attributed
20 a group Of officials in Picking. According to
report certain Chinese firms with a large guam
tity Of American goods in stock took advantage
Of the movement. They themselves had bought
ahead as far as June 1905. 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 he able TO
sell al their own figures. Mr.. Rockhiil. the
American Minister and the Consul General in
Shanghai. Mr.. Rogers, assured the Chinese that
their case would be considered by the next ses
sion Of Congress and for six weeks there was
Iur Toward the end Of June however Mr..
Conger. former Minister to China was quoted
as ridicuIing the idea of Chinese organization.
This report. teIegraphed at once by the Chinese
agents in America, brought down q storm Of in
dignation in the native press.
The three students and their sister who were
50 badly treated in Boston were related to in
AuentfaI officials The incident occurred at q
most unfortunate time for there was violent
comment in the Shanghai journals, and the de-
lnands for effective boycott We're renewed
Certain NJ the younger men in Shanghai, most
~ whom had been educated in Japan started
Vigorous newspaper campaign, insisting that
strong measures must be taken To force the
United states TO revise her Immigration laws
a certain Shanghai paper. edited by a japanese
and supposed 10 be subsidized in Toxic. was
-I,- IN
The Americans. The native press printed sensa-
tional stories. saying, for example, that $50
Cinnamon had been murdered in New-York and
that similar affairs were Of daily occurrence.
subscriptions were collected from the wealthy
merchants il Singapore, Penang. Hong Kong
Manila Canton and Shanghai. and pamphlets
snd circulars were distributed throughout the
country Placards were posted in the river
ports and The interior cities reviling those Who
were weak enough 70 use American goods
Americans were booted in the streets
The movement has now passed entirely out
Of the hands Of the merchants. The wholesale
dealers suggested that It was time TO call a
halt But the ag1tators were il power Where
ten years ago there were not more than a dozen
there ere today fifty Cinnamon who read news
papers. The reports Of murders and outrages
in America have incensed the people They
now refuse even TO buy certain kinds OF Jap
anese and Shanghai uIled goods because they
resemble the American article, being afraid that
the merchants will try TO dispose Of some 81
their boycotIed stock under another gUise-
The men who encouraged the scheme in the
beginning are sufferers where they had ex-
pected to resp & rich harvest The American
manufacturers must be reimbursed for all the
goods that have been ordered ahead, and It is
doubtful whether & number Of the weaithiesL
$ men IN Shanghai viii be able to weather the
storm unless they are able 10 sell or cancel their
orders