Rensselaer Journal, Volume 10, Number 43, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 April 1901 — Dr. Ament Replies. [ARTICLE]

Dr. Ament Replies.

The Rev. Dr. W. S. Ament of the American board mission at Pekin has furnished to the newspaper correspondents in the Chinese capital a long interview embodying his .interpretation of the acts of. missionaries before and after the siege of the legations. The statement is virtually a brief for the defense, so prominently has the name of Dr. Ament appeared in the charges of missionary responsibility for the Boxer outbreak, missionary looting after the legations were relieved and

missionary demands for revenge upon the guilty Boxers. His account of affairs from the missionary’s point of view is exceedingly interesting, and although not all of the unpleasant charges are satisfactorily cleared up it must be admitted that Dr. Ament scores more than once against his critics. He declares that such writers as Henry Norman, Lord Curzon and the newspaper correspondents who have generalized in condemnation of missionaries in China have not sought information from missionary circles, but rather have sought jt

m those places most antagonistic to missionaries. The occupancy of houses of Boxer leaders by missionaries and the sale of looted goods he declares was in most instances with the direct sanction of Minister Conger or Minister Macdonald, and the proceeds were used for the support of the destitute whose homes and possessions had been destroyed. He denies that extravagant demands for punishment have been made by the missionaries, and argues that such recommendations have been calculated to make for peace and the future safety of all the people.