Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-08-16
AT THE WHITE HOUSE
President and Cabinet Discuss Chinese
Situation.
PLAN FOR CHAFFEE AFTER RESCUE
To Return to Ten Tsin With His
Army and Wait.
NJ latter OF EMNITY

| Chinese affairs, past, present and pro-
spective. were gone over fully at the cab
| met session held at the regular hour today.
| The members present were Secretaries
Root Wilson, Gage and Postmaster Gen.
eral Smith. The cabinet reviewed with sat
/ fsfaction the history of the actions Of this
| government since the beginning of the trou-
bles in China. 1t is stated that nothing
would be undone IL the administration had
to go over the same road again.
! Secretary Root presented number Of
! kilograms received today. There WAS feel
! ing in the cabinet that the allied forces
have by this time rescued the foreigners at
Pekin. They have either done this or are
attacking the city in which the foreigners
are besieged. The impression is general
however, that no resistance has been Of
fered the allied army at Pekin. The latest
proposition of Ii Hung Chang for an armis-
tice shows that China has enough ana does
not desire to keep up the conflict. The Chi
nese diplomats know fully well il is said
what could be expected should the allied
| army be treated badly on its way to P-kin.
Confidence I'm ChaTee.
Not even the President himself knows
what steps Will be taken as To- the methods
| of the rescue of the foreigners when the
army has gotten everything ready to at
/ tack Pel<n. All this is left to the foreign
commanders and confidence Is placed in
what Gen. Chaffee may do. IL the allies
have reached Pekin it is known
whether their program will be TO enter the
city to take possession of the ministers and
foreigners or remain outside and permit
the Chinese to escort the foreigners 10 the
allied army. The trouble about the latter
course is that the allied comma nders may
conclude that even this may cndanger the
lives of the ministers. and they may insist
on a detachment of the army being allowed
to march into Pekin and Immediately TO
the rescue Of their fellow countrymen-
Should this be the case Pekin would Is
cape the humiliation of an entire army
taking possession of the city
An important part of the conference to-
day was decision as to the course of this
country after the rescue Of the minister
and the other Americans at the Chinese
capital. 1t is the intention of the Presi-
dent to direct Gen. Chaffee to return to
| Tien TSin with his force Immediately after
| the rescue. The administrations purpose
all along has been primarily the rescue OF
Americans 1t does not intend to have lis
soldiers remain at Pekin 10 carry out its
dema nds China. 1t will not retire, how
ever, and will only go off to a distance SUI
ficient to renew operations If that step be-
comes necessary
An Army of 10000 Men.
At Tien Tsin General Chaffee will gather
all the regiments ordered to China and in
a short time will have an army of 1o.Uo
men-a respectable and influential power.
Negotiations will then begin with China for
indemnities for the many outrages perpe-
trated on Americans. Diplomatic relations.
which have not yet been broken on Will
be used in the carrying out Of these de-
mands unless the Chinese decline to do
what is right. 1t will be useless for the
Chinese to demonstrate against American
troops remaining on Chinese soil. There Will
be no retirement until full satisfaction has
been had. When this has been obtained the
United States VII depart and will have
nothing to do with the schemes Of the
European nations. Throughout the nego-
tiations that will follow the rescue of the
foreigners the United States will deal sin
gle nded with China and not In co-opera-
ton with the other countries, unless the
cause again becomes a common one, as at
present.
Executive Clemency.
President Mckinley has granted a pardon
to Zachariah Hughes, who is dying in the
Chester ILL.,. prison of consumption. Hughes
was a mail carrier in southern Illinois. He
cut open a letter containing s215. He gave
his brother Robert s. Of this and hid s2lo.
which was afterward found. Both We're con-
victed at Springfield and were sentenced 20
three years each in prison.
The Presidenrs Return.
President and Mrs. Mckinley, Secretary
Cortelyou and Dr. T. NJ. Rixey arrived IN
Washington this morning at $50 CLOCK
over the Pennsylvania road. Despite the
warm weather the journey comfort
able one and the President and his wife
arrived at the White House refreshed by i
good nights rest. The President is in good
health and Mrs McKinleys condition S
as good as il has been in many years
The party was met at the depot by Sec
retary Root, Adjt. Gen. Corbin and As
sistant Secretary Pruden. Secretary Root
rode to the White House with the Presl-
dent, discussing Chinese and other ques-
tions with the chief executive.
AN order was sent out early in the morn
ing for a cabinet meeting. Prior to the
President received several visitors and did
considerable work at his desk.
Senator Thurston on Nebraska
Senator Thurston and Controller Dawes
were among the callers. Senator Thurston
says that the political outlook in the west
is one of great hopefulness for the repub-
licans. There is a splendid fighting chance
for us in Nebraska he said. imperialism
is a dead issue in the west, and but for
Bryan's citizenship in Nebraska there
would be no prospect of the democrats
carrying the state" Senator Thurston VIII
do considerable speaking before the cleo
ton.
Controller Dawes will go into the cam
speeches. He is sanguine of the result in
his state, and says the German vote for
Mckinley will be greater this year than
four years ago.
NATURAL GAS EXPLOSION