The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-08-03
Circulation Statement.
Secretary Hays LATEST Note.

Secretary Hays Latest Note.
While the course of the Administration
in connection with the crisis III China has
been open TO criticism in view or its
hesitancy and apparent lack of definite
purpose, IL must be conceded that the lat
est note of Secretary Hay TO the Govern
ment at Pekin. through Consul General
Goodnow at Shanghai, does much to re
deem past errors, and to place the Admin
istration in a dignifed light before the
world 1t represents clean and straight
forward diplomacy and a commendable de-
termination to bring the present bedlam
relations between the United States and
China TO an issue In emitting te make
the Chinese Minister at Washington the
vehicle Of communication, a strong hint is
conveyed to the Imperial Government that
it may consider diplomatic relations sus-
pended pending a satisfactory response to
what is very close to an ultimatum.
Mr.. Hay advises our representative at
Shanghai that, since the Chinese Gov
eminent admits that it possesses the pow
er to give communication Ito the minis
tersl, it puts itself in an unfTiendly atti-
tude by denying it." That is tantamount
to notice that further denial of the right
of protection and free communication to
an envoy Will be considered by the United
States as an act of hostility, and hence.
of war Again the Secretary makes clear
the intention of this Government to hold
the Chinese authorities at Pekin 10 &C
count for whatever may further happen in
contravention of international law and
treaty through their fault He says:
I'VE would urge Earl Ii earnestly 10 ad-
wise the Imperial authorities of China TO
place themselves in friendly communiea-
tion and cooperation with the relief ex-
petition They are assuming a heavy re-
sponsibilfty in acting otherwise -
It is evident that the policy of the Ad-
rnl.z sta ton has undergone a change for
the better, as result of conviction that
American sentiment as well as the public
opinion of the world demanded il Presi-
dent Mckinley seems at last to appreciate
the fact that he must contemplate the
probability Of formal war and an extraor-
binary session of Congress, as an alterna-
tive to the political consequences which
would flow from insistence upon conducting
an informal executive war on a consid-
cradle scale against China. There is a
chance, and we sincerely hope good one
that the vigorous diplomacy warranted by
the new attitude may accomplish desired
results without the nece ssity of res0Tting to
hestilities beyond the rescue of the min
listers and foreigners in Pel5in, and the
temporary occupation of that city. Wheth-
er it shall OF not Mr., Mckinley has been
well advised in abandoning policy OF in
dividual and irresponsible action which has
savored altogether too much OF imperial
ism to make it politically safe one for
him to follow.
From partisan point OF view, nothing
could be better suited to bring about the
overthrow OF the party in power than psr-
sistence in refusing to acknowledge a
state OF war while waging it, in order
to avoid the constitutional duty of call
ing upon the sole war-making power of
the Government for authority and means
But this journal is American before it is
Democratic. and We should be sorry to
see party advantage reaped at the cost
OF conduct on the part of the Administra-
ton calculated to weaken our institutions
The Chinese Government will be unable
to long defer an answer to the note under
discussion. If the answer should be IN
satisfactory, the fiction that China is not,
and has not been from the outset, at war
with US viii have to be abandoned
American citizens have been butchered at
Paoting-Fu, and other places, and are
still being massacred wherever caught
in the Empire outside of Pekin. under the
authority of an imperial edict China has
impudently acknowledged that our minis
ter. his family, suite. and legation guards
are deprived of their liberty, and we have
positive evidence that they were being
besieged by Chinese troops ten days ago.
These are definite acts of war which do
not require the formality of a written
declaration to place US on notice that "a
state of war exists between the United
States and China.
That point being settled beyond possible
eavil. and the fact being fully within the
knowledge of the President, the constitu-
tional obligation arises that he should call
Congress in extraordinary session at once.
We are willing to admit that If the fic-
ton Of no war. in the face of a most
hideous barbaric war mas served the pur-
pose of protecting our legation people from
murder. the American. people are quite
capable OF overlooking the technical fail
ure to perform plain and mandatory
duty. But that tolerant attitude would
not last should the Chinese response to
our latest representations be defiant or
show evidences of treachery. China must
come to terms Immediately, or Congress
must come to Washington.
The War In South Africa.