The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1900-09-28
LoRn SALISBURY SILENT.

NEW YORK. Sept. 27.--A dispatch to
the Tribune from London says:
Rumors that Count Won Wai1ersee
would present an ultlmatum demand
ing the surrender OF five leaders Of the
anti-forelgn movement have not been
adequately confirmed and were without
doubt premature.
No action OF the powers 50 aggressive
In form and spirit could be taken until
the reply Of Lord Salisbury had been
received at Berlin. II has been assumed
with confidence at the German capital
that Lord Salisbury would support the
German proposals and the English press
with one or two exceptions has strong
~ favored the empar1rs circular.
Count Won Hatzfeldt ~ too experlene-
ed a diplomat TO conide Lord Sails
hury's secrets 10 correspondents be-
fore he communicates them TO his chief
in Berlin. and Il viii be premature
forecast Ct the scope and spirit Of the
British answer until Il. has been delly-
cred and the text has been published.
There are. however strong reasons
for believing that both the Berlin and
London press have been mlslnformed
and that Lord Salisbury viii not sup
port the Germ an demand that certain
leaders Of the anti-foreign movement.
10 be designated by the powers. shall
be surrendered or punished before ne
gotiatlons are entered into for perma-
nent peace. He mas remained In the
background. brooding in silence over
the whole subject, and he Will deliver
his answer after all the other powers
have expressed their views.
II Is not probable that he VIII use
~ 4
at Washington but that his position will
not be far removed from that Of the
state department, with the single ex-
ception that there will not be any intl-
nations that British troops will be
withdrawn from China. Lord Salisbury
IS too adrolt iiplOmatlst 70 cause ir-
ritatlon at Berlin by a polntblank re-
fusal to consider the German proposals.
but he will not commit England 10 the
impractica5le policy Of suspending all
negotiations Cor peace until the leaders
Of the campaign Of outrage and massa-
ere are surrendered by the empress
English and continental journals which
have been amusing themselves with
pleasantries over the amateurlsh dip
lomatic methods Of the state depart
ment may find their gbCs less numerous
when an old diplomatic hand like Lord
Salisbury reverts TO commonsense
policy not essentially different from the
American plan.
One point which the leader writer's
here have lost sight of Is the magnitude
Of British commercial interests which
Will be oaralyzed II the diplomatic de-
mands Of the powers are based upon
impossible conditions and settlement
is deferred thereby indefinitely. British
diplomacy always mas it's commercial
side. and Lord Salisbury's policy will
not be regarded as well ordered unless
II hastens rather than retards the nor
NAL resumption Of trade relations with
China.
The prolOngation Of the transition pc
riod. moreover. by a demand that the
guilty empress shall present 10 the
powers on a charger the heads Of the
mandarins who obeyed her orders. will
undoubtedly open the way for a partial
partition Of the empire. Russia Is al
ready In Mancnuria. furnishing China
by annexation and slaughter and Ger
many ana Japan have their eyes fixed
upon the provinces which they are pre-
pared to hold until their indemnity
claims are settled. Impractlcable
peacemaking cannot be regarded as a
natural or legitimate interest either In
England or America.