The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-09-09
BE READY TO WITHDRAW
But This Withdrawal May Not Take
Place at Once.
PROSPECTS FOR SETTLEMENT B7lGHTENS
Il Is Believed That if the Fears of the Emperor
and Empress Can be hllayed, They
Will at Once Open
Negotiations.
(BY the Associated Press.l

Washington, Sept. S.-Orders have
been cabled to General Chaffee to pre-
pare his forces for withdrawal from Pc
kin. Further than that the War De-
Taku a sufficient number of United
States transports to remove these troops
to the Philippines cas- soon as they reach
the port.
These orders are preparatory and do
not necessarily indicate that our Govern
ment has decided finally upon an imme-
date withdrawal from China. 1t is sim
ply placing itself in a position to carry
out the pledge conveyed in the reply to
the Russian proposition in this language:
1.-THE report of these considerations is
that unless there is such a general eX-
preston by the powers in favor of con-
tinued occupation as to modify the views
expressed by the Government of Russia
and lead to a general agreement for
continued occupation, we shall give in
structions to the American forces in
China to withdraw our troops from Pekin
Gtter due conference with the other COM
manders as to the time and manner of
withdrawal"
Up to the present our Government has
not changed its policy in this matter of
Withdrawing our troops from China as
soon as this could be done consistently.
1t is intimated that the prospect for
securing these objects through completely
harmonious action by the powers in
frightening every day. 1t is felt that
this is a time for compromise PROPOSE
tions as between the Russian and Ger
man designs in China, and such PROPOSE
ti0ns now form the substance of nearly
all the diplomatic exchanges which are
in daily progress. The continuance of
| quiet in Pekin, tending to reassure the
Chinese officials, is believed to be rapidly
Fastening negotiations for a final settle
ment. There is the best reason to be-
lieve that were the Chinese Government
| once assured of the personal safety of
| its members; were it relieved of fear
Of a dismemberment of the China and the
| menace of large foreign force in the
| capital, the imperial court, including
the Emperor and Empress Dowager,
would lose no time in returning to Pc
| kin and opening negotiations for a set
| Element Hence the suggestion has been
| thrown out that the allied forces in
| Pekin be reduced to number sufficient
| to ensure the immediate safety of the
| legations, while the remaining forces re-
| tire beyond the walled city, perhaps to
| Tien Tsin, and if the progress of the ne
| gotiations seem to warrant it perhaps
| be withdrawn altogether from Chinese
| soil
There are only two obstacles to the
execution of this plan. One is the diff
| Guilty of framing suitable guarantees for
| the continuance to a satisfactory con-
| clusion of the negotiations for the final
settlement. The other is the uncompro-
missing attitude of one of the powers. 1t
| is now believed that the difficulty as to
guarantees can be satisfactorily adjusted.
| The other obstacle may be overcome by
| a threatened isolation of the refractory
! power; for it is believed that no one
| power would care to pursue war upon
| China when the other powers had de-
| liberately expressed their judgment that
| further hostilites were unwarranted.
| Beside, hostilities under such conditions
| tending to injure the interests of the
| other powers in China. might be regard
| ed by them as authorizing a joint demand
| upon the single power for guarantees
which would be very difficult to meet.
For this reason it is hoped that the
| powers can be brought to act in harmony
| in the matter of the execution of Pekin
and it is entirely possible, if this plan
| is executed that all OF the American
| troops, save a small number left to
| guard the legation at Pekin, can be with
| drawn from China before winter sets in.
| 1t will not be necessary to delay the ne
gotiatons until the evacuation is COM
pleted.
Special Commissioner Rockhill has left
Shanghai for Pekin. A report by cable
from him dated yesterday, indicated that
he had begun the discharge of his duties
as special observer, of the present
Chinese disturbances.