The age-herald., 1900-07-18
The Tide of the Sentiment
 Has Turned. A CABINET MEETING President Determines That Extra Session is Unnecessary. QUESTION THOROUGHLY DISCUSSED Should Future Developments Require Action of Congress the President
 will not Hesitate to Gall the
 Extra Session
QUESTION THOROUGHLY DISCUSSED

Washington, July 17.-A decidedly more hopeful feeling with regard to the Chinese situation was apparent in all administra- tion circles this evening. The tide of sen- timent, which had been decidedly pessimis- tic, turned with the announcement of the victory of the allies at Tien Tsin and the capture of the forts and native city, and gathered further strength from Minister Wu's cablegram declaring that the foreign ministers at Pekin were safe July 9. Aside from these dispatches the arrival of the President and the special Cabinet meeting called to consider the situation were the features of the day. The Cabinet met at at 2:S O oclock this afternoon. less than an hour after the President reached the White House. Over hundred newspaper men thronged the corridors while the Cabinet was sitting behind closed doors. The scene resembled the hottest days of the Spanish war.
 There were present Secretary Hay, Sec retary Root Secretary Long, Secretary Gage and Postmaster General Smith.
 Secretary Root gave out the following formal statement of the action of the Cabi- net:
 "The President has determined that the facts now known to us do not require or justify calling an extra session of Con- gress. Should future developments indicate | that he is unable to do what is required with the means now at his command and the action of Congress is necessary to fur nish either men or money or authority he will not hesitate to call 1t together"
 thoroughly Dis, used
 While only this meagre statement was given out, it was ascertained that the whole Chinese situation was thoroughly discussed by the Cabinet. The decision that an extra
 session of Congress was not demanded by
 existing conditions was the outcome of the
 showing which both Secretary Root and
 Secretary Long were able to make as to
 the force that can be thrown into China without .the authorization of additional troops by Congress, and also the decidedly
 more hopeful feeling entertained by the President and the members of his Cabinet as to the safety of Minister Conger and the other foreigners in Pekin due to the cable of Minister Wu reporting the safety of Ministers July 9, two days after their reported massacre. While this cable is not regarded conclusive, 1t Is accepted in
 good faith for the present.
 But the Administration, it can be definite ly stated, has set in motion some machinery
 by which it is confidently predicted abso- lutely authentic news as to the fate of our
 Minister and the other foreigners at Pekin
 will be ascertained. Through what channel the Administration expects to receive this all-important news is ont known, but that a definite statement of the situation in Pe- kin is daily, if not hourily expected can be stated with the utmost positiveness. The advices received from Pekin probably will be the determining factor in blazing the future course of this government. If Minister Conger has been murdered, an extra session of Congress seems inevitable. Admiral Remey's message of the success of the earlier hard fighting around Tien
 Tsin helped to relieve the anxiety of the President and his advisers, but Minister
 Wus message was responsible for the really hopeful feeling that prevailed.
 Tropp Available
 Secretary Root furnished to the cabinet a summary of the troops available, not on- ly in this country, but in Cuba, and gave 1t his opinion that between 10000 and IF, 900 troops in all could be spared for ser- vice in China. These endorsements are to be rushed through at the earliest possi- ble moment. Most, if not all of them, it IS believed, can be landed by the end of Au- gust or earlier in September. One cabinet officer said that beyond those soldiers al- ready destined for China from the Philip pines no further troops from the islands would be withdrawn unless the situation became much more omnous.
 In figuring upon the number of addition al marines available, Secretary Long sum- moned to the cabinet meeting General Hay wood, who commands the marine corps, and who is familiar with every detail of that branch of the service. He explained that under existing law the full strength of the marine corps is 5000. But the en- listments at the present time aggregate on- ly about 5,00O. This makes an additional 1000 marines who can be brought into the service without Congressional action. No order for recruiting these men is necessary, the recruiting stations are now in op- eration, but in the presence of the cabinet Secretary Long directed General Haywood to his utmost endeavors to complete the recruiting of the additional thousand marines. It was decided also that the bat talion of marines, five hundred in number, who were to have left for the far East at the end of the month should go forward on next Sunday in command of Major Ram dolph Dickens.
 A cablegram to Admiral Remey calling for some additional information upon which to act was formulated at the cabinet meeting and dispatched at once.
 Another meeting of the cabinet may be held tomorrow. It is the present purpose of the President to return to Canton on Thursday evening unless his presence here Is deemed necessary at that time.