The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-07-21
1T is DISCREDITED.
No Faith Is Placed in the Message Re.
ceiyed from COnser.
THE ABSENCE OF A'DATE T0IT
Leads to the Belief that 1t Is an Old
Message just Sent.
OF NO AVAIL IF 1T Is GENUINE.
Jnited States Can Not Get Troops 10 Pekin
for Many Weeks.
"PAClfIED" PHILIPPINES NEED SOLDIERS
No More Can BE Spared by MncArthur
TO Go to the Relief OF the
Minister.
Jnited States Can Not Get Troops 10 Peklu
for Many Weeks.
"PACIFIED" PHILIPPINES NEED SOLDIERS
No More Can BE Spared by Macarthur
to Go to the Relief OF the
Minister.
Especial to The Post. }

Especial to The Post)
Washington. July 2O.-The dispatch
which is alleged to have come from MIN
lister Conger is the entire topic here and
has created conflicting expressions of opin-
ion from those whose opinions are sup
posed to carry weight. Secretary Hay
does not doubt the authenticity Of the dis
patch There are others who doubt it
seriously.
Secretary Hay believes It to be reply
to his dispatch sent 10 Conger through
Minister WI and says that the contents
Of the message bear evidence that it rs
genuine.
The general public has no means Of
knowing the exact wording Of the mes
sage, because cipher messages to the state
department are never given out verbatim
for obvious reasons. Those who doubt the
authenticity of the dispatch give various
reasons for their belief that the dispatch is
fraud. They believe the message is from
Conger all right. but the fact that it was
not dated casts suspicion on 1t. They
point out that the date OF the message
hangs the whole mystery; also that there
lis nothing in the message acknowledging
receipt OF the message from the state de-
Ipartment. That the message reads like
one sent out as an appeal for help from
the British legation before the massacre
took place, Interrupted by the Chinese
government and held by is and found use
/ full for lack of anything better, to prove
that the legation had not been over
whelmed and their occupants butchered
weeks ago.
! The message says Chinese troops" are
besieging the British legation. 1t is not
reasonable to suppose that the Chinese
authorities would concede that their reg
ular troops were storming the British
compound at any time II they could find
Anything better to publish, The doubters
believe this but another evidence of Chi
nese treachery and that the dispatch was
sent out by runner and through acct
dent or treachery fell into the hands Of
the Chinese government.
Dispatches from Europe today asser
that the Russian government ts in pos
Pekin 1t is stated also that Chinese mer-
chants who have arrived at Shanghai
from Pekin witnessed the horrors OF the
crime.
But placing implicit confidence in the
genulnenees OF the dispatch and that all
the people in the besieged British lega-
ton were alive on July IS, 1t does no
heir the situation materially. The dis
patch urges immediate assistance, which
is utterly impossible. I. may be days OF
weeks before a sufficient force can b.
gathered at Tlen Tsin to garrison that
place aud keep open communication. while
relief column marches on Pekm l
was urged on the authorities here toda,
that a force of 10000 men be at once
ordered from the Philippines to sail to
Taku, leaving the coast cities of the Phil
ippines garrisoEed, and directing all troops
now leaving this couatry to Manila; tina
this force of 40, 900 americans immediatel!
push forward TO Pekin, regardless of tn
action of the troops OF other countries
Absolutely no attention was paid to tn
suggestions and It was met by a postiy
refusal TO send one man from the "paci
fed" philippines. That means that week
must eiapse before the besieged foreigner
in the British legation will be relieved
, and II Conger was alive ON July Is ne vii
? not be d month hence.