The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1900-07-13
THU CHINESE TROUBLE
It IS Regarded With Great Seri-
BUSINESS In Washington.
ANIMATED CABINET MEETINGS.

Meetings That Were Held During
the Spanish-American War-Minis-
ter Wu and the Punch.
WASHINGTON, July Especial. /
Improbable as it seemed at the begin
ming Of the current Boxer troubles in
China, little more than a month ago,
the administration is now beginning
to realize that these troubles may pre-
sent complications at least quite as
difficult of solution as those which
were presented by the Cuban situation
in 1898. Indeed, it is not a bit too
much to say that certain we'll informed
members of the administration regard
the present situation as much graver
than was the situation two years ago.
with anxious eyes and are watching
every cloud for political sign.
They go even further than is indi-
Gated abOye-they believe the Chinese
problem is today to be-pOtentially at
, least-the most threatening to the
! whole world that has come up for solu-
ton in three quarters of a century,
: They hope for an easy and peaceful
! termination to the present disturbed
conditions, but even as they hope they
are afraid.
/ Washington's Worry.
Naturally, there is more worry
among White House and cabinet cir
cles over the situation than anywhere
else, though the representatives of all
/ the strong powers are plainly on the
! qui vive The alertness of the diplo-
matists, however, is largely profession
al and can hardly be accounted nervous
ness. But with some of the admins
,, tration folk it is different. They re-
alize not only that the current prob
lens are of greater magnitude than
; any other president, since the time of
; Lincoln, anyway, has had to face, but
also that Mr.. Mckinley must deal with
! these problems all through a presi-
dental campaign. Some of the more
optimistic express qualification that
this is so, believing that the president
will deal wisely with each problem
that comes up and so strengthen him
; self immensely at the polls.
Others, some Of whom are great adj
, mirers Of the chief executive, say that
no matter which way Mckinley turns
at the present juncture he is morally
certain to put his foot in a hole. If
he is too moderate in his course, say
they, the militant element among the
,, voters will say he is weakened. If
he comes out strong, the opposing ele-
! ments among the voters wifi declare
that he is going III for militarism.
Thus, they hold, is the president en-
barrassingly placed between the devil
Of too pronounced a policy of aggres-
sion in the east and the deep sea of too
much mildness.
Animated Cabinet Meeting.
Of course no one not Of the cabinet
is allowed to be present at any meet
! ing of the presidents officials, but it
| is we'll known in Washington that the
cabinet meetings of July SO far have
! been quite as animated and as impOr
| tant in the eyes of all concerned as
| were the cabinet meetings of the sum-
, mer of 1898.
! It is the general impression, based on
! 1eakages from cabinet members them
, selves, that in ordinary times their
| meetings are mainly of routine ma
ture, often lasting for few moments
only simply because there is nothing of
! real consequence to consider, and that
when the gatherings are long and ami
mated it is generally the suitability of
some proposed appointee to his place
! than anything of graver Importance.
Late in 1897 cabinet meetings began to
assume greater Importance, and this,
! of course, continued all through the
Spanish war. Within the past few
weeks the cabinet meetings have re-
Sumed their importance, and it Is high
ly probable that nearly or quite all the
cabinet members will remain here all
summer, foregoing their usual warm
weather vacations, or at the most that
they will not venture many hours from
the capital.
Minister WI.
The conduct of Minister WI at the
present juncture is favorably COM
mented upon in all quarters. He was
especially happy in declining to speak
on July 4 III HnlIauoIpnla anu III SIlCh-
ing to his declination. He is no doubt
sadly puzzled by the situation despite
all his native cleverness, which is forti-
fed by the training of both the occi-
dental and the oriental schools
in previous letter | commented on
Mr.. Wu's intimate knowledge Of the
English tongue. 1 heard a story about
him today which demonstrates this.
There was a stag reception at the
house of a high official one evening,
when it was decided to induce the Chi
nese diplomatist to drink too much
punch. Somehow he "got on to the
graft''-which was an easy thing to do,
by the way-and SO managed himself
that at the conclusion of the reception
he was sober, while most of the eau
casian conspirators were decidedly well
filled up. A friend met him day or
two after and rallied him On his capac-
ity for punch. WI gently closed his
left eye and said quietly and without