The Bowbells tribune., 1900-08-17
CHINA FOR PEACE
WANTS AN s.IMMEDIATE CESSATION
OF HOSTILITIES."

ger Expresses His Ability to
"Hold On" Until Relief Comes
sheng Expresses Grave Fears for
Lesatloners When Defeated Chi
uese Troops Return to Capital.
Washington, Aug. 14.-Indications of
the desire of China for peaceful
settlement Of her present difficulties
have been multiplying for several
days. Official evidence of that desire
was presented to the department OF
state yesterday. 1t was in the form Of
an edict promulgated by the emperor
Kwang Hsu, appointing Earl Ii Hung
Chang as envoy plenipotentiary to ne
gotiate with the powers for an ''imme-
diate cessation Of hostilities" pending
a solution Of the problems which have
grown out of the anti-forefgn uprising
in the empire. Earl Ii is to act direct
ly for the emperor, and fair infer
ence is that whatever terms of settle
ment he may reach with the powers
will be approved by the imperial gov
ernment.
Ability to s'Hold On.'
"A belated message from Minister
Coneer was transmitted to the war de-
partment by Gen. Chaffee. 1t ex-
pressed simply his ability to "hold on
until Gen. Chaffee should come to his
relief. All the power of this govern
1nent will be exerted to get relief to
him and the other imprisoned legation
ers at the earliest possible moment.
While it is conceded by the WASH
ington officials that the conference OF
pleniary authority upon Earl Ii to
Negotiate with the powers for a set
tlement Of existing troubles is a step
in the right direction, it by no means
is assured that the United States gov
ernment will consent offhand to open
negotiations with the distinguished
viceroy. The demands of this govern
ment upon China have been made
plainly and without equivocation.
They cannot be misunderstood. AS
suming that the Chinese government
is acting in good faith, the demands
are reasonable and can be complied
with readily. AS transmitted to the
imperial government by the secretary
Of state through Minister WI, the de-
mands in brief We're:
Our Government Demands.
''That the Chinese government give
assurance that the foreign ministers
are alive, and if SO, in what condition;
that the ministers be placed in free
communication with their govern
ments, firing upon the legations cease,
and all danger to their lives and lib.
erty be removed; that the imperial
authorities place themselves in COM
munication with the relief expedition,
so that the legationers may be liber-
ated, foreigners protected and order
restored"
Until these demands have been ac-
ceded to it is highly improbable that
the government Of the United States,
or any of the united powers, all of
whom have made practically the same
demands upon China, will consent to a
cessation Of hostile demonstrations"
which are being conducted, at least so
far as this government is concerned,
with the sole purpose of succoring the
besieged legationers in the Chinese
capital.
Reply of United States.
Last night Secretary Adee, by direc-
tion of President Mckinley, presented
to Minister WI, for transmission to his
government, the reply of the United
States to the imperial edict appointing
Ii Hung Chang envoy to negotiate
with the powers for a cessation of hos
tilities. The text Of the reply will not
be made public until to-day. In effect,
However, it is reiteration Of the de-
mands previously made by the United
States upon China, coupled with a
vigorous intimation that no negotia-
tions will be entered into until the
Chinese government shall have COM
piled with those demands. This gov
eminent, inspired by a determination
to effect the rescue of the legationers
besieged in Peking, takes advantage
In its reply to the edict to reiterate
the demands previously made upon
China. These demands were first
made by the president on July %, and
were reiterated substan-
TALLY by Acting Secretary Adee, by di-
for the protection of the ministers, for
epective governments and for the res
toration of order in China
Form the keynote
OF the memorandum forwarded to the
imperial government by the president
yesterday. The iteration and reitera-
tion of the demands must make it per-
fsctly clear to the Chinese government,
It Is thought, that no negotiations will
be entered upon until an entire COM
pliance with them has been made.
Should the demands be acceded to
there will be no obstacle, it is be-
1ieved in the way of a settlement of
other questions which have arisen out
Of the pending troubles. Minister WI
declined to make any statement bear
Ing on the reply, not even being Will
ing to say whether or not it had been
received by him. Copies have been
sent to the United States representa-
tives in Europe and Japan to be SUBJ
mitted to the governments at which
they are stationed, and also to the
European diplomats stationed here for
their information.
Wu Is Elated,
Mr.. WI, the Chinese minister here,
n very much elated over the appoint
nent Of Ii Hung Chang as plenipo-
tentiary to arrange peace with the