New-York tribune., 1900-08-21
ANOTHER APPEAL FROM CHINA.

China has made another appeal for peace.
She reminds the United States that Ii Hung
Chang is her representative, commissioner or
what not appointed to negotiate such peace,
and she hopes the United States Will recognize
him as such and will forthwith appoint one OF
its own citizens to meet him at any convenient
place and to discuss with him definite terms for
the settlement of the pending controversies be-
tween the two countries. 1t is understood that
a similar application has been made to each
of the other interested Powers That fact,
however does not necessarily have any bearing
upon the action the United States is to take.
1t may be deemed desirable for the United
States to act conjointly with other Powers in
arranging settlements and it may not. The
simple fact that the European Powers consent
ed to follow the lead of this country in the op-
erations for the rescue of the Peking legations
is no proof that they ready to follow its
lead in the further operations military or diplO-
matte, which are now to come. Nor does the
fact that they followed its lead make 1t tncum-
bent upon the United States now or hereafter
10 follow their lead. There is, on the contrary,
some ground for supposing that independent
action may be found preferable In marching
TO Peking there was on the main point abso-
lutte unanimity of desire and ain-to rescue the
Ministers. But now there are divers aims.
States does not Germany means TO avenge
her murdered Minister and the United States
happily has no such provocation. 1t would
scarcely be reasonable for those Powers to ex-
pect the United States to join them in effecting
those ends so utterly foreign to Its policy.
Whether the United States is TO act alone or
in concert with the other Powers however. 1t
may be appropriate to remind the Chinese Gov
ernment that the state Of affairs is materially
different from what it might have been had
that Government complied with the temperate
and reasonable requirements Of the United
States. A month ago the Chinese Government
made appeal to the United States for peace and
for the good offices Of this Government in secur-
ing peace. The President made prompt and
definite reply. He agreed to use his efforts for
the establishment of peace If China would DO
three things But China did not do them and
has not done them, and It is now too late to do
them China did the first and second of the
three it is true. She gave us information of
the condition Of the legations and she per
lnitted communication with their inmates. But
the third and most important of all she did not
do She stubbornly refused to do it. She
would not cooperate with our relieving expe-
dition nor give 1t free passage to its goal On
the contrary, that expedition had to fight its
way into Peking, and II rescued the inmates OF
the legations not because Of Chinese co-opera-
ton, but in spite of Chinese opposition. That
is the unpleasant fact which this country is en-
titled to bear In mind and to recall to the Chi
nese official mind. This country is under no
obligations to the Chinese Government for the
safety of it's Minister and his comrades. Their
safety is due to their own sturdy defence
against Chinese attacks and to the swift and
valiant advance of the relief party against Chi
nese opposition. We wish sincerely 1t were
otherwise. We wish the Chinese Government
had shown its good faith and friendliness by
giving recognition and cooperation to the relief
expedition. But unhappily it did not, and, hav-
ing not done SO. it must not complain If it has
to meet the consequences