The age-herald., 1900-06-30
HOW PRESIDENT
 LOOKS AT CHINA Purpose to BeIittIe the Gravity
 of the Situation. CAMPAIGN POINT OF VIEW Republicans Criticising Their Platform, Particularly on Expansion-Thi Itis Weak, But the Speeches
 Are a Consolation
CAMPAIGN POINT OF VIEW

Washington, June 29.-(speciaL> 1.-The
 gravity of the situation in China and it's
 possibilities just at present occupy more at-
 tention in the minds of public men in
 Washington than do the running mate to
 be chosen for Bryan in Kansas City or the
 exact provisions of the platform there to
 be adopted. The President is anxious to
 avoid every possible entanglement. He na-
 turally feels that with the Philippine prob
 lem yet to be settled and our large respon-
 sibility in Cuba the government has its
 hands fully occupied just at present. The
 President is conservative, and the ap-
 preaching campaign naturally increases his
 conservatism. He Is decidedly averse to
 any land grabbing in China-does not feel
 that the United States should secure a
 sphere of influence-believing that the in-
 tegrty of China should be preserved His
 present idea, at least as far as is known,
 is to simply protect the lives of American citizens in China He does not wish to take
 part in the reorganzing of the government
 or China, yet he undoubtedly does appre-
 ciate that some such task will by virtue
 of the circumstances be imposed upon our
 government in connection with the gov
 ernments of other nations. It may easily
 be that, in the protection of our trade in-
 terests, in the preventing of other nations
 through their land grabbing plan from
 eliminating large portions of China from
 the favorable entry of our products, the
 United States may have to stand firm for
 the integrity of China, and for some sort
 of joint control until the government can
 be placed on stable basis. It may be, too, in order to prevent serious disagree ments between the powers that our govern
 ment will finally be forced to take a firm
 position against the dismemberment of that ancient empire.
 Just at present, however, it is evidently the purpose of the President and his ad- visers to belittle the gravity of Chinese affairs and to express optimistic views of the situation This is in line with the
 policy of patience and careful waiting that characterized the Presidents attitude just prior to the war with Spain. He held out then against war until the last moment For instance, it is now denied that there is any purpose to send more than the Ninth infantry and the Sixth Cavalry to China That, in itself, is formidable force, but not sufficient to deal with the conditions in China, if the reports that come from there are in any sense accu-
 rate. The trouble is that no one has any accurate information. The Chinese minis ter reports things quiet and has used every influence to prevent troops from being dispatched to China, yet the rumors that come from China indicate a most se- rious condition of affairs. The question as
 to -tsfe satety of the foreign representatives and the possibility that they may have been held as hostages, the fighting of the
 combined foreign forces against troops of the Chinese regular army, the reports of widespread disturbances, all of these things show the grave condition of affairs.
 It is argued that a brigadier-general would not be sent to China unless he was, at least to command brigade of troops. But, on other hand, the answer is made that General Chaffee was chosen because of his peculiar abilities. He is not a firebrand. He is patient and cool in critical times, yet knows how, to fight with the greatest vigor when it is necessary,
 and he can move quickly. It is held that with conservatism and reputation as a fighter he Is just the man for the work that may have to be done. Despite denials from the War Department officials it is very probable that full brigade of troops will be sent to China notwithstanding the endorsements a withdrawal of troops from the Philippines may cause. The War Department officials regard it as rather un- fortunate business for troops to be with drawn from the Philippines just at pres- ent. They hold that their withdrawal will create the impression that our government is abandoning those islands and insist that the leaders of the insurrectionists will so explain the sending of troops to China, saying that they are going to China is a fabrication to cover permanent with drawal. Yet 1t has already been announced that the volunteers are to be withdrawn, beginning in the autumn that all the will he hack in the United States by July l. 1901, when their terms of service expire. It would seem | that the withdrawal of troops few months in advance Of that general move- ment can not do much harm, particularly l when they are urgently required for ser ! vice in China. Then they can be rein | forced by the regiment that General Wood | has recommended be withdrawn from Cuba as being unnecessary.
 The President is embarrassed somewhat
 also, by the demand made from num- 1 Der of quarters that our government | should join in the land grabbing game of l the powers Against that he is nest de- cidedly opposed and will not be led by | those who have protested against our work | in the Philippines into leading the gcvern-
 ment down with any new land sntangle- ments.
 | Hilrs strength
 Notwithstanding Hills opposition to the Chicago platform, he appears Just al pres | ent to be the leading candidate for vfca | President on the ticket with Bryan. MT. l Bryan would not be pleased to have Hill i for running mate, but it will be repre- i sented to him that Hill is positively tha 1 strongest man the Democrats can name l and that MT Bryan would subordinate his i personal dislike for Hill, due to the latter S | inaction during the campaign of 1S96 for
 the sake of the party. The question of
 great interest is whether MT. Hill would
 accept the Vice Presidential nomination on | a platform that would substantially re- | iterate the platform of 1S96
 ALBERT HALSTEAD.