The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-01-26
An Admlnistrntlon thunder.

Some time aimee, Mr.. Julian Ralph, In
au article published in Harper'a
Weekly, clearly showed this govern.
mont's moral reiponoibility for tho tor.
ture and execution Of two Japanese
students who we're surrendered 10 the
Chinese authorities. Secretary Gresh.
am denied Mr.. Ralph's story In vigor.
Qua terms The official correspondence
on the subject contained In tho docu.
menta recently sent to tho senate by
the President, however, confirms It,
and leaves the administration In an til.
cnviable light.
In this weeks issue Harpcr'a calls at.
tention to this official confirmation Of
Mr.. Ralph'a story In an article headed
Secretary Grcsham's Blundcr," and
says:
ii''Thc correspondence sent 10 the senate makes
II Geas tina. tho United states hrumed the pro.
PER rrotcedon OF Japanese residents In China
Inc American iplnister and counsels took It upon
OF Japanese. The Chinese charged that the two
Japanese students were sploi, and on that
ground demanded their surrender. The United
Siates should not have surrendered them so
long hS there was reasonable ground on which
TO deny the charHa. This Ii not dispated. But
secretary .Greshhm accepted tho word OF the
Chinese that the two young men were spies
and that hey.woGld:n not be executed until Minis
ter Denby'a pturn. In doing this no declined
TO accept the evidence OF the agents OF this
country, his own sub0rdlna,eA, who were ap.
pointed TO their ofices for tho .purpore, OF civ
Ing him accurate and honest information
The officers Of the United States who were on
the spot reported that the :wo Japanese were
not spies. but were s.udons. a. they aNcrted
that they. were. Nevertheless, Mr.. Gresham
Chinese authorities. In consequence OF this
surrender the two young men werO behcadod
before Minister Denby's return. aud there IL
iittle doubt moreover. that they were tortured
before they wero executed.
These facts from tho official corre-
spondence abundantly confirm in all
particulars Mr.. Ralph's story, which
Mr.. Gresham fastened to deny, and
emphasize the opinion held by every
body, not biased. that Mr.. Cleveland'a
secretary Of state failed to realize what
humanity required Of him in tho pre-.
misses. especially SO, considering that
he was dealing with a barbasous people.
True, as Harper's Weekly says. in
commenting on the developments, it
may be that Secretary Gresham still
disbelieve, the statements OF his diplo-
matte agents who agreed with Mr..
Ralph. but il no does. he has made no
movement toward their recall. 1. seems
that the secretary relied, in support OF
his w conclusions. on the certificate
Of tho Chinese minister, not entirely a
diainterestsd authority. The case
involved a question OF humanity. China,
sars the Weekly. is barbarous nation,
and exceptional relations prevail be-
tween her and civilized powers. 1t Is
tho practice of her government to tor
ture prisoners. I. ia not its practice to
accord fair trials. 1. wa, the duty OF
the government OF tho United States to
prevent the torturiug Of these students,
and their execution without. q fair
trial.
Mr.. Gresham's blunder seems to be
ineScusable from any point Of view.