The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-02-16
REPORTS ON THE
TRADE BOYCOTT
Situation Not So Alarming in China
as Recent Accounts Would
Seem to Indicate.
STANDARD OIL THE TARGET
MOVEMENT KEPT ALIVE BY STU
DENTS.

Washington, Feb 15.-From the many
reports received by the state department
from its representatives in the east rela-
tive to the anti-American boycott, its
prospects Of continuance, and the amount
OF injury ii has inflicted on American
trade, two, selected at random, from the
north and south, have been made public.
In neither is there any hint of violence.
and the movement it is stated, is con-
fined strictly to trade limits.
The report from north China brings the
history Of events up to the close Of 1905.
At that date the boycott movement had
been nearly all talk in the principal
cities, says the correspondent who adds:
Kept Alive by Students.
THE student class. as the willing work
ers of the boycott organization, has done
its best 10 keep the issue alive, and to
the wishes of the merchants, who have
had enough and never want to see an
other boycott But this talk and under
current Of agitation has not been shown
to any great extent in the business affairs
related to American products. There has
been umidlty in buying, and IN some in
stances cancellation Of orders under the
spur OF threats, but despite denials of
some Americans, K is well known TO the
majority that sich conduct upon the part
of Chinese buyers has not been the rule.
Standard Oil Royeotted.
This statement. however, does not ap-
ply to the product of the Standard Oil
company, which has been opposed in
many places outside the principal cities
IN northern China. AS TO that condition
1t can only be said that thorough investi-
cation viii prove that trade competition
has as much to do with IL as Chinese an
tagOnism. That underhand methods have
been employed against the Standard Oil
company and the British-American To-
bacco company is becoming palmer every
day 1T present the attack on these two
companies is apparently centereG in and
around HankOw. where obscene circulars
have appeared. and also many evidences
Chinkiang, Chang Chow, WI HU, Kiu-
kiang and many other places tributary to
and on the Yangtse there has also been
more or less antagOnism OF late.
Compelled to Aequiesee.
THE merchants are against the boy
colt but under the lash Of the guilds they
must give half-hearted acQuiescence at
least If the officials so desire they can
squelCh the recTUdescence OF the move
ment in this section and by so doing will
gain the support Of the merchants But
again, there Is the now powerful student
class, which, under the teachings Of for
eign educated Chinese. and perhaps others
not friendly TO American interests where
they conflict with their own. has devel-
oped an influence recognized by officials
guilds. merchants and labOrers-
Situation Not Improved.
Prom south China and, in fact clear
down TO the Straits Settlements, comes
/ the report shat there Is no Improvement
$fn the boycott situation; that trade is
BADLY affected in most lines, and there
is little or no business outside the small
union trade. American sewing machine
companies report that the Chinese are
afraid to go into its places. Although
some are likely to buy, they are not will
ing 10 have a machine in their possession.
The authorities claim there is no recog-
milton here"
The report continues:
IF the boycott is called off tomorrow
1t will take many years 10 remove the i'll
effect FROM the injury done. At Penang
American firms could not move any goods
in their godOwins. and Chinese refused to
take the goods which they had already
ordered"