St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1900-07-25
t,AT WASHINGTON.

officials are more hopeful over the sit
uation in China as a result of the dis
patches which have come in the last
lew days, and more particularly the Eu-
ropean advices, asserting that the min
listers are safe. If an answer is re-
ceived to the second telegram which has
been sent through the Chinese minister
here to Mr.. Conger, and that answer
should bear internal evidence of gen.
uineness, the situation will be materially
improved, and the government, with the
additional information which Mr.. Con-
ger may transmit, will be able to move
intelligently towards the rescue Of the
beleagured foreigners.
President Mckinley has signified his
willingness to mediate between the Chi
nese imperial government and the pow
ers, but only upon conditions which first
must be met by the Chinese government.
The exact nature of the terms pro-
posed by the state department cannot be
stated at present, but 1t is known that
the answer is entirely consistent with
the statement of principles laid down
by Secretary Hay in his identical note
| to the powers, and, moreover, it accepts
as truthful the Chinese statements rel
alive to the safety of the foreign min
listers at Fekin.
1t would not Of course, be possible to
take even the initial steps toward
mediation were either party to the ne
gotiations to entertain openly distrust
of the accuracy of the statements of
the other. There must be confidence
between them. The United States an
swer does not go to the length of the
| French answer to a similar appeal in
| laying down conditions which the Chi
nese government could not meet, even
if so disposed, if it actually is struggling
for it's own existence.
1t does, however, look to the immediate
relief of the foreign ministers in Pekin,
and, moreover, to the protection of all
foreigners, missionaries and traders in
! China, and to the restoration of order.
| With that much accomplished, the state
department feels that it can properly
approach the powers with the Chinese
! propositions for a settlement for what
has occurred.
/ The Chinese appeal came to Secretary
| Hay Sunday through Mr.. WI. The
secretary promptly telegraphed 1t to
the president at Canton, and after TAX
ing a full day for its consideration, the
presidents answer came Monday after
noon to the state department. 1t was
put in the proper diplomatic form and
COPY delivered to Minister WI, who was
10 forward it to his government.
The imperial edict made public at the
state department shows that the i'm
perial government already has taken the
first steps toward doing what the United
States requires as to the principal con-
dition for the exercise of its good offices,
in enjoining the viceroys, magistrates
and leading men to stop the disorders
and protect foreigners. Our govern
ment will await the result of this be-
fore proceeding further.
1t is expected that adverse criticism
upon the action of the state department
in this matter will be heard from Eu-
rope, where the governments are act
ing upon the belief that all of the for
eign ministers in Fellin have persisted,
but our government, nevertheless, re-
CARDS its course as the correct one. All
of the European governments have
taken the stand above indicated
The last of the answers to Secretary
Hays note, reciting the Conger mes
sage. have come, and all of them, in
terms polite and diplomatic, express ut
ter incredibly in the authenticity Of
! - Genera
Goodnow, himself a man of good judg-
ment also cabled a warning to Score
tary Hay against the acceptance of the
message without confirmation. But
the state department has fully con-
sidered the message in all of its aspects,
has carefully weighed the numerous OBJ
iections and suspicious put forth here
and in Europe, and, without guarantee
ing the authenticity of the message, feels
it to be a matter of prime duty to act
upon the theory that it is genuine.
Admiral Remey's notification to the
navy department that he had gone in
person up the Pei Ho from Taku to
Tien Tsin is attributed to the receipt
by him of Secretary Longs urgent mes
sage to hasten the efforts to get to Pc
kin, and important news from him is
expected soon.
The war department. it appears, I'M
derestimated the time that would be re-
ouired for the Grant to arrive at Nagasa-
XII. She sailed on the first instant, so
that she is not yet quite due at that
point with General Chaffee.
The Goodnow cablegram reciting the
message from Prince Tuan, as vouching
for the safety of the foreign ministers
on July IS, caused a ripple of excite
ment for a time at the state depart
ment, but the officials soon concluded
from the context and other circum-
stances surrounding the message that
Yuan was meant instead of Tuan, so the
message lost the value it would have
had if it had come from the redoutable
Boxer leader.
Gin Fire In CharIestoWn Navy Yard.
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