The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-09-22

Our Disgrace i'm China.
To people wko have been watching the
course of the Administration in connec-
ton with the Chinese question and the
Chinese war for the past four months. the
decision reached at the Cabinet meeting
yesterday will be no surprise. In brief, it
was to reject the German proposal for the
punishment of those Chinese officials re-
sponsible for the murder of Baron Won
Ketteier, the attack upon the legations,
and the torture and butchery of the
American women missionaries and their
children at Paoting-fu and elsewhere; to
assure Prince Ching that the United
States is desperately anxious that peace
negotiations shall begin at once, and to
notify the powers that it is the definite
American policy to cut and scuttle out
of China as soon as an excuse of any kind.
nc matter how thin. can be found for that
action.
naturally will forfeit whatever the Russo
American blunder may have left of cur
prestige, or Of respect for cur foreign poll
cyabroad. 1t amounts TO surrender of our
position and interests in China, and offers
the civilized world an affront in its selfish
Indifference to the perpetuation of the
worlds peace. first threatened by our rup-
turing the concord of the powers at Pekin,
through Mr.. McKinley's astonishing ac
eeptance of the Russian proposal without
conference with or notice to the allies:
and now made a more serious question
than ever by our practical alliance with
China, Russia, and France, against the
stases who would secure the future of the
Chinese Empire under conditions of safety
10 foreign commerce and to the lives and
property of Europeans and Americans So
iourning in the country.
Pratirg of a stern determination to see
that the open door should be kept open,
and that the territorial integrity of China
should be guaranteed President Mckinley
suddenly leaves the concert of powers
whose policy points in the same direction.
and ranges himself with the Governments
which aim at Acknowledgement AS we said
yesterday. the refusal of the Administra-
ton to accede 10 the German proposal is
expIainable on the ground that. to agree to
the punishment of the she devil Empress
Dowager and Prince Tuan would be TO ac-
knowledge that the Chinese Government is
responsible for the atrocities in China, and
for war which, on our side. has been
waged unconstitutionally under the fiction
that it was not war at all, but only an eff
fort to assist an amicable fellow-sovereign
10 put down disorders for which she would
be the first to express regret
The assurance to Prince Ching is sin
cere notice of Mr.. McKinley's desire to
get out of China at once. and on any terms.
no matter how unfayorable or how humili-
citing to his country. The understanding
IS that the wish of Ching. urgently i'm
pressed upon the Washington authorities
by Mr.. WI. that negotiations shall begin
at once. will be granted, and the United
States doubtless Will Immediately enter
upon a farce which cannot possibly result
in indemnity for our losses and the losses
OF our citizens in China. or in satisfaction
for the affront of the Chinese Government
in attempting to massacre our Minister
ard other citizens in Pekin. and in ordering
the torture and murder of our missionaries.
Every other consideration must, be sac
rihced TO that OF seuttling. The Chinese
Christians in Pekin are to be abandoned to
butchery, the last hope Of honorable set
Element is to be surrendered. Everything
is to be forgotten but the Philippine in
surrection, which Otis utterly crushed and
ended months ago. and the elections in No
vember. 1t is a contamination to fill the
patriotic heart with disgust and contempt