The Portland daily press., 1900-08-29
Question Of Lii Hung
Chang's Credentials.
Germany Is Very Decided
Against Accepting Them.

Washington, August 28.--After the
cabinet meeting today it was annou need
that the government was in waiting
attitude regarding the Chinese situation.
The lack OF late advices from Pekin and
the failure Of the powers to show their
hands as to future policy makes it neces-
sary for this government to await devel-
opmsnts. The administration considers
it OF the greatest Importance that in the
negotiations for q settlement of the Chi
nese difficulty all the powers should act
in unison and harmony and its efforts
are being directed to that end.
The powers, however, seem slow to de-
clare themselves. Several replies have
been received to the instructions sent to
our am bassadors and ministers last week
asking them to sound the governments
to which they are accredited on two pro-
positions, first, the willingness of these
governments to accept the sufieiency of
Ii Hung Chang credentials to treat
with the powers for a settlement and, sec
ond, to ascertain if possible what the fu-
ture policy OF each power is to be.
Regarding the latter inquiry, the re-
plies, thus far, have developed nothing.
The powers appear to be watching each
other without definite or fixed purpose
as yet of their own.
With regard to the first inquiry Great
Britain and Russia are agreed that Earl
LIPS credentials are sutH sient. Germany,
however, takes a firm stand against the
sufficiency of his credentials and is the
only power as yet, which has returned a
fat-foOtsd dissens1on, The attitude of the
United States is that his credentials APP
pear authentic. They were promulgated
by what appeared to be a genuine imperi
al edict duly transmitted through thu ac-
credited Chinese minister, Mr. WI, and
the United States is willing to accept
them at their face value-at least, for the
present. The administration, from the
advioes it has received, does not credit the
runors that Russia Japan and Germany
intend to declare war against China ana
it is willing to accept all disclaimers of
Interior purposes on the part Of the pow
ers, just what would be done in case
some OF the powers began war for the
purpose of territorial ACKNOWLEDGEMENT is
not known and the admin istration is not
disposed to cross that bridge until it
reaches it. But a member of the cabinet
stated today that if any of the European
powers entered upon such a progr anime
it probably would be reminded by the
United States that 1t had agreed to the
''open door" policy by which all the pow
ers are to be placed upon an eqnal foot
ing and that II territory were acquired
under the agreement, we would be en-
titled to the same privileges in the matter
of trade, etc, as the conqueror.
The President and the cabinet are as
much in the dark regarding the date
when the dispatches Of Minister Conger
and General Chaffee left Peki as is the
general public. They can lind no explain
alton for the fact that they have come
through without Pekin dates, except that
they evidently were sent by courier to
Taku and that cabIegrams are relayed
IS times after leaving the latter point.
They may have been sent from Taku
without Pekin date or they may have lost
the date en- route. Internal evidence was
found In late dispatches received from
them that tended to demonstrate that
some person or persons had been purpose
ly delaying the messages coming from Pc
kin and lien Tsin to Washington. 1t
also is suspected that our messages may
have been injuriously tempered with.
. The cabinet came to the conclusion that
If any Chinese persons have interfered
with the dispatches, the interference
must have occurred on the wires between
Che Foo and Shanghai and 1t was deter
mined to reopen direct communication
by means of a war vessel. Either the New