Birmingham age-herald., 1895-08-24
OLNEY MAY JACK THEM UP Alleged Dissatisfaction at the
 Department of State WIS 0ENBY AND EUSTIS Ing : ;ter 10 China Is Thought to Be SuIk- e ing in His Tent [ , 1iI AT0RY IN E0pWApnINc prpapTc
, DiLAToRY IN FORWARDING REPORTS
:; Eustis Is Said to Be Devoting More Att tention to Society Than to Waller. His Latest Cablegram Contra
 ticts It, Though.

Washington, Aug. 23.-Not a line has been received at the state department Tor more than week from Charles Den by, the United States minister at Pekin, and there is good reason to believe that he has procrastinated with regard to in- structions sent him concerning the inves- tigation of the Kucheng massacre. That the state department is dissatisfied with MT. Denby's dilatory course is a mild way of putting the situation, and it is said that the minister Is in serious dan ger Of being recalled if he cannot furnish satisfactory explanation of his failure to make arrangements with the Tsung Lii Yamen, or board of foreign affairs, or the granting of full authority to the American commissioners on the Kucheng board of inquiry to freely investigate all circumstances relating to the massacre. In justice to MT. Denby 1t should be said the state department does not blame him for not having secured all that is de- sired, because the matter of declination or compliance with the departments wishes rests with the Tsung u Yamen, but he has been found wanting in not keeping the Washington government in- formed of the progress of events, pre- sumably neglecting to carry out his in structions to press matters. The belief at the department is that MT. Denby has taken umbrage because suggestions from this government as to the policy to be pursued by him did not agree with his own ideas, and for that reason is not doing all that he has been directed to do. MT. Denby's attitude Is likely to cause him serious trouble, and if he is not heard from soon his official position will be placed in jeopardy
 The alleged failure of the minister to press the question of the Kucheng in- quiry with the Chinese government has caused the situation to become compli- eated. As stated in these dispatches yes- terday, the nasty and unexpected de- parture of Consul HiXson and Ensign Evans from Foo Choo to Kucheng be- fore they had been fully authorized to conduct the inquiry in behalf of the United States has resulted in bringing the investigation to a standstill Cap tain Newell of the United States cruiser Detroit has started for Kucheng to en- deavor to straighten out the taDgle but there is no information at the state de- partment from Minister Denby that the captain has been invested with any more authority to investigate than Is pos- sessed by Messrs. Hixson and Evans, although the presumption at the depart ment yesterday was that MT. Denby had secured for him the satisfactory cre- dentials which he has been directed to obtain, but has failed to report how he fared in making the request, if indeed he has made it at all.
 Prior to the recent instructions to MT. Denby, with reference to which he has seemingly failed to comply his course was entirely satisfactory to the state department, and there was every reasonI to believe that his condemnation by meetings of Americans at Shanghai for alleged inactivity was exceedingly un- just, in view of his past record
 It would be a serious matter for the government to recall Mir Denby during the present critical stage of our rela- tions with China. The presence of minister at Pekin is absolutely neces- sary.