Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-14
The Viceroy's Statement.

~ . wa
AS to this matter of the merchants of the
Two Kuang disseminating the purchase Of
American goods in protest against the i'm
migration treaty, 1 some time ago received
an imperial ediCt directing me to order the
merchants that they must carry on business
as usual and unite to preserve the pcace
and that, If any ignorant persons should
SOW suspicion and stir up trouble, l must
deal severely with them so as to prevent
the outbreak of disorder. This edict | had
reverently copied and published it in full
for the information of all. | also issued
general instructions to all officers in my
jurisdiction to earnestly exhort and lead
the gentry the merchants and all the Deo-
pie and cause them to obey with trembling,
and L directed that, If any persons should
be found guilty OF sowing suspicious and
creating trouble they should be promptly
arrested and fined.
Afterward / received a telegram from
the board of foreign affairs stating that
the American minister had sent them a dis
patch to the effect that the boycott of
American goods in Canton still continued
and was creating trouble and asking that
this unjust agitation be suppressed
thereupon issued another proclamation, CIV
ing careful warning, all of which the rec
ords will show.
Merchants and the People Warned.
'I now find that although the holding of
meetings and the making of speeches have
been discontinued, there is. perhaps, some
reason to fear that ignorant persons may
take advantage Of the situation to stir I'D
trouble, and il becomes necessary to again
issue a stringent proclamation forbidding
such action, IN order to give due weight to
international relations. / have issued gen.
eral instructions to all officials In my juris-
dictfon to give obedience and directed that
If any disorderly persons are found SOW
ing suspicious and stirring up trouble, post
ing placards or circulating pamphlets, try
ing by threats to keep others from buying
or using American goods, they must be
promptly dealt with as the circumstances
may require, and, in addition, l now issue
this proclamation and give due notice to
the merchants and people of the whole
province that they must comply with it.
You ought to know that China and the
United States have for a long time main
tained friendly relations. AS to the immi-
grafton treaty, the President Of the United
States has already consented to the re-
vision OF It's harsh clauses, and has also
consented to the fair treatment of Chinese
going to the United States. The govern
ments of the two countries are now at
work negotiating with regard to this uueS-
ton. You merchants and people must
tremblingly obey the imperial edict and
carry on trade as usual, Joining together
to preserve the peace. Should there be
presumptuous persons daring still to fan
the flames of agitation, sewing disobedence
to the imperial edict and disturbing the
peace they must be promptly arrested and
punished.
''As to the mission stations and the mis-
sionaries of various countries, their pur-
pose is to exhort men to do good, and i'm
perial edicts have repeatedly been issued
commanding that they be given thorough
protection. If any disorderly persons avail
themselves OF any pretext to create enmity
toward the missions and make disturbance
so as to embron the missions mission
aries in difficulty they are to be regarded
as no other than rebels, and shall be
punished with nothing less than punish
ments of extraordinary severity, so as to
manifest the terror of the law. What I,
the viceroy have said. that will do. Let
every one obey with trembling. and not
disregard this special proclamation.
Issued Kuanghsu XXX Year. Tenth
Moon, - Day"