The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-07-25
News Comments From Wash.
ington.
From our specis! correspondent }

(From our specia! correspondent }
Washington, July 23-Is there a
secret understanding between the
administration and the government
of China The acceptance by Sec
retary Hay and other members of the
cabinet of everything said to them
by the Chinese minister as gospel
truth ls regarded as suspicious. Al
though scofFed at by the entire
diplomatic corps and doubted by the
public, Mr. Hay has accepted the
cablegram alleged to be from Minis
ter Conger and saying that be snd
the other foreign ministers in Pekln
were all right on the 18th inst, but
in need of help, as genuine, and the
other members of the cabinet have
even gone 80 far as to throw bou,
quets at Mr. Hay by publicly saying
tha. his getting that message was a
great diplomatic triumph. Diplomat
ic fddlestick That message, wbeth-
er fake OF genuine. was secured by
the Chinese minister for purposes OF
his own, and if there was any tri-
umpb about it, the credit is his 1t
is whispered among European diplo.
mats in Washington that the admin.
istration has undertaken the contract
of keeping the present Chinese gov.
ernment in power, regardless of any
decision Of the powers which are
assembling an army in China for
allied action 1t is difficult to be-
lieve that Mr. Mckinley has made
any such agreement His own i'm
perial schemes are quite enough to
keep BIN busy, without his tackling
those Of China
Senator Wellington, who sometime
ago declared that he would not sup,
port Mckinley for reelection. is still
throwing nuts to the administration
which it cannot or will not crack.
The senator said, while in Washing
ton day OF two ago: ''lf the situa-
tion in the Philippines is as favorable
as the administration would have US
believe, there is no reason why
twelve or fifteen thousand men could
not be sent from there to service in
China think that would be Amer
ica's fair quota of the international
force for the relief of Pekin, and
beyond the protection of American
life and property, this country has
no business TO interfere with the
affairs of the Chinese empire Amer.
ican soldiers should never form a
part of an ..rmy for the conquest of
China The European powers have
sowed the wind and are now reapiDg
the whirlwind They have been
looking for trouble in Chins for a
long time, and now they have it.
The fire they have kindled is hot
one, and this government should look
we'll to it that American troops are
no: used as catspaw for the pulling
out of European chestnuts.
Secretary Root pow says that the
administration hopes to hand Cuba
over 10 the Cabans within the next
eight or ten moatbs, but there are still
man who believe that the island will
have a string to It when it is turned
over to the Cabans, and that secret
schemes for annexation are being work.
ed and encouraged by the admiuistra
tion for the purpose of making it appear
when the time is ripe, that tho demand
for annexation comes from the Cuoans.
Gen. Wood had very little to say about
snnexation when he was 10 Washing
ton last week, and that little was not
important, although be was cornered by
one newspaper man and made to
acknowledge that be believed large
majority of Cubaus now favored an
Independent government, rather than
anuexation. The administration koows
that it's attitude towards Cuoa is bsiog
closely watched by the people. and that
any aot which even seems to imply tba.
good faith would not be kept With the
Cubans, would make thousands Of anti
Mckinley votes If there is to be any
trickery. it will be carefully concealed
until after election
It seems to be a little early 10 the
campaign for Boss HauDa's henobmen
to be putting out fakes, but all the same
they are going it. Several men known
to be close to Hanna have been filling
up Washington newspaper men With
stories about how worried the ''old
man" was because OF the refusal OF
some of the heaviest contributors to bis
compaign fund four years ago tc give
cent this year. aud Of his fear that tie
National Committee would have to
skimp its campaign plans for lack Of
money. The object Of these stories is