Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1900-08-22
Washington Letter.

Washington, August II, 1900
While President McKinley's return
to Washington this week was arranged
for without regard to the situation in
China, he finds Chinese matters at
their most critical stage. The allied
army is under the walls of Pekin and
the Chinese government has reached
stage where deceit and Discrimination
can no longer be practiced-when, in
fact, it must decide once for all
whether it prefers peaceable
reparation for the mischief done or
war with the allied powers. Since his
arrival in Washington President
McKinley's time has been largely
taken up with important news from
China, which for reasons of state has
not been made public. Minister
Conger has sent news that might jeo-
pardize his life were it made public
before he gets under the protection of
the allied army, and other messages
also contain matter which could not
be safely published just now.
The old claim that because Mr..
Bryan attracts crowds he is bound to
be elected is again being made. Speak
ing of that claim, Mr. F. G.. Wilson, of
Indiana, now in Washington, said:
-Four years ago you could hear of
nothing except the great crowds
that turned out to hear Bryan. It
was said to be the greatest popular up
rising in the history of American pol
itics, and that, with the people so
palpably with him, he could not be
defeated. But he was defeated, and
badly. People went to see and hear
Bryan because he was new and enter
tanning, and something in the nature
of circus. The traits in Bryan that
made people flock to see him led them
also to vote for Mckinley. The
American people are willing to be
entertained by a wearer of the cap and
bells, but they don't want four years
of continuous performance in the
White house,
The question of whether Uncle Sam
shall make his own armor plate for
warships or continue to buy from
private establishments is still I'M
decided, as the three bids submitted
for armor were thrown out as I'M
satisfactory and new bids called for,
to be opened October 2. Secretary
Long was given authority by congress
great compliment it was, TOTO
either accept the best bid submitted
or spend 100000, placed at his
disposal, in setting up a government
plant.
Significant of the danger to for
eigners in the interior of China even
at points far removed from the Boxer
troubles, is the cabled order from the
department of state to Consul Martin at
Chin Kiang and Vice Consul Lewis at
Chung Kiang to close the United States
consulates at those places and proceed
to Shanghai, where they will assist
Consul General Gocdnow until the
conditions are thought to justify
their return to their posts.
Had as much gold been shipped to
Europe in any single week during the
Cleveland administration as will go from
New York during the present week the
country would have been thrown into a
financial panic; but, thanks to changed
conditions, the going of the gold causes
not even a ripple in financial circles.
Speaking of this large shipment of
gold Secretary Gage said: 1.-The move
ment is entirely natural and nature al
ways tends to establish just equilib-
RUINS. The negotiation on this side
of so large part of the English loan
fully explains the movement. We
have gold to spare and it will go, and
ought to go, where it can be most pro-
fitably employed. At the moment that
place of most need appears to Great
Britain and THE continent. We have
a large supply of the yellow metal