The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1900-07-21
CABLEGRAM FROM CONGER
PROBABLY TWO WEEKS OLD
Continued from First Page.)

after a consultation with the British
officials at Hong Kong. He cannot be
regarded as a friend OF England. for
he has despatched black flag bandits
and rufiians to the northward to dis
turb the peace OF the Yangtse region;
nor is he a trustworthy peacemaker,
since he is known to be q bitter cppon-
ent Of all foreign interests. yet he is al
lowed to proceed on his Journey to Taku
and probably win pass from the camp
Of the allies at rien Tsin to the capital
where he viii assume the governor
ship OF Pc Chi II during the period Of
foreign invasion. Practical men are
asking whether he woul not be a more
useful peacemakar and negotiator il he
were detained on some vessel Of war;
and whether the powers can afford to
allow him to 90 inland, where he would
be compelled to act with the empress
dowager an Prince Tuan.
It is not clear that anything is gained
by the sha,l3w nretense that the civil
lied powers are not at war with the
Chinese government, which is either
openly directing the anti-foreign move
ment or is utterly unable to control
it.
There is every reason tc believe that
the bloodstained camariIla at Pekin has
ordered II Hung Chang to Pc Chi Ii
in order TO employ him in setting one
foreign power against another and in
breaking concerted action. He will be
diplomatic accessory after the fact.
and will be PASSED through the allied
fleets and camps to the capital. where
his head viii be cut of If he declines
to serve the government Of assasSina-
tion. 4.
Men who have passed many years in
China are utterly hopeless in their COM
ments upon th- present situation. They
assert that the Manchu dynasty is
fighting for its life and power. and that
it win not spanr any effort to set the
furious mobs in motion against the
foreign conc cssssons at Shanghai. Nam
kin. Han Kow. Che Foo and other
places. Some of the hrs informed men
favor united action of the powers by
which Nankin shall be proclaimed tie
capital. so the capital can be main
tanned by the Chinese themselves
against the daspo5c and arrogant Man
chu race. but they admit in the next
breath that this policy cannot be car
ried out since both Russia and Japan
win not consent to the degradation Of
Pekin when each hopes ultimately to
occupy and % hold it permanently.
No power except Japan apparently
knows its own mIHd. M while battal-
ions and naval brigades are going cut,
there is no settled policy. but general
reluctance 20 substitute de jure for de
facto warfare and break Of diplomatic
relations with a government which has
virtually derr-sI the expulsion of for
eigners and the destruction Of all alien
interests.
Sheng is still giving out contradictory
messages respecting the legations. and
there are highly imaginative estimates
of the strength of the Chinese armies
in the field. The real trend of events
is disclosed by two facts--frst. that the
Chinese government is forcing the for
eign powers to stand together and
fight by its own aggressive action. and,
second. that the powers, while banding
together have their eyes fixed upon
spheres Of interest where each must u-
timately assume the responsibilities Of
administration. This was illustrated by
Mr.. Broderlck's admission that the con-
sul-general at Shanghai had been en-