Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1900-07-26
this point, OF course, they are utterly at


ling order and preventing further blood
shed in China, was held to be docu-
uent of fine diplomatic quality. III
cannot be too often or to too forcioiy
said that while Japan does not desire
| to see partition of China, her feelings
alone are concerned, and no fancied
sympathy with the Chinese is the res-
son for this stand" said Mr.. Stevens.
Japan does not desire an inch OF ter
ritory in China; her interests are
| wholly commercial, like those OF the
United States. As for myself, / feel
that the true situation OF the problem
| will be found In con6ning the present
| uprising to the province In which 1t
now exists. With force OF more than
one hundred thousand men the allied
powers should find this entirely feasi
| BILE. We here believe that with con-
certed action and a capable leader, the
| allied troops will fnd the march to
Pekin not 80 formidable an undertak-
ing as some suppose"
The theory Is rapidly obtaining cre'
dence that the ministers have al
| ready been killed, in view OF the
strong disinclination of the Chinese to
let the allied forces approach Pekin
and of the interview given by LII Hung
Chang and as repeated by the Chinese
ministers at London and Washington,
declaring that move on the Chlnese
capital by the foreign troops would re,
suit in the immediate massacre OF ell
foreigners there. The opinion is ex..
pressed that this opinion is given out
so that when it is actually discover
| ed that the massacre has taken place
no matter il it was two weeks ago as
reported, the Chinese can lay the blame
upon the military movements OF the al
| lies and attempt to exonerste themselves
by saying that it was impossible to re-
strain the fury of the mobs when IL was
learned that their imperial city was
threatened by the "foreign devils"
| Much the same Interpretation Is
placed upon the offer to transport the
ministers to Tieutsin, the fear that Is
entertained by the officials being that
although the massacre might have
taken place between July 4 aud 10,
| 1t would be claimed that the escort was
attacked by superior force OF rebels
while on its way to Tientsin and re-
suited 10 the death of the diplomatlsts.
There are one hundred thousand SOL
diers serving the govern ment in various
parts of the world who vii; not vote
] this year. Government officers say
they have nothing to do with the vot'
ing OF the fighters. So far as can be
learned here the national committees
are taking no interest in the matter.
Whether these men vote or not depends
upon the laws of the States in which
they claim residence. To vote it is
necessary that the laws OF their States
do not disqualify them on account OF
their absence and that provision be
made to have them cast their ballots
while in the field. New York has 8
law which provides for the appointment
of commission to receive the ballots oil
citizens of that State who are serving
the country as soldiers. Several other
States are said to have similar
laws. 1t is not known here that any
of them has taken steps to have
the votes OF its warriors counted
in the contest for the presidency.
In the war between the States and
again during the war with Spain many
States appointed commissions to take
the votes OF the State regiments in the
field. No State regiments are now in
| the army but there are sixty five thou
sand volunteers who represent every
| State 10 the Union. Some of the big
States have several thousand men in
the ranks and it is said that their votes
| might have an important bearing on the
result. They will not figure 10 the
election, however, unless State officials
having authority bestir themselves and
arrange to send commissioners to the
military stations. II that should be
done votes for the presidency would for
he first time be cast 10 Cuba, Porto Ri
CO, Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, the Philip
pines, and probably China, as well as
in this country.
The Postmaster General today issued
an order extending to soldiers, sailors
and marines on duty in China the privi-
lige of using the mails at domestic rates.
The order applies as we'll to letters and
parcels addressed to our soldiers in Chi
na The only stipulation being that all
STEERS and psrstls must be marked SOL
dlers Msil."
Orders are issued by the War depart
ment and sent to Havana by cable to-
| day for the immediate arrest of Estes
G.. Rathbone. former Director Genera
OF Posts OF Cuba, on criminal charges
arising out OF the postal scandal. There
is spirit OF resentment descernable
among officials directed against Rsth-
bone who, they feel, has thrown discred-
| it upon the administration in degree
greater even than by Nelly.
A we'll informed Marylander here to.
day, once republican member of the
legislature of his State, says his opin-
ion is that the democrats will carry it
at the coming election by a decisive
majority. A few oddities who formerly
acted with the democrots will vote
against them, ne said, but thousands of
the lukewarm ones have warmed up
and are as earnest as they ever were.
Then too, he said. all the State officials
| are democrats now, and the Baltimore
Sun, that was against them four years
ago, is now inclined their way.
Mr.. Il II. Smith, former journal clerk Of
the House. and four years ago pronounced
republican, has just returned from visit 10
his State, Michigan. He says wherever be
went during his trip, complete revolution is
apparent in political feeling, and, he is conf.
| dent both Michigan and Wisconsin will cast
their electoral votes for Bryan.
The government officials express consders-
, BILE surprise at the manifestation OF pro.