Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1900-09-06
THURSDAY EVENING. SEPT. 6, 1900.

Dnhlican administration TO De othet-
wise than insincere and hypocritloal.
This is an Ohio administration, con-
trolled by Hanna, Mckinley and the
trusts and corrupt interests which STAND
behind them. There ia not a pending
public question the history OF which
would not prove the truth OF our state
ment. but the Chinese question fur
nishes an excellent illustration. When
the troubles first broke out IN CHINA
the administration had its hands full OF
the Philippines, where one island had
been conquered, looted and "paciheo,
Int vet obstinately refused to remain
"nscified" unless sixty thousand Ameri-
can soldiers were kept there for that
nnrnose. 1t was not until reports came
of danger to the American and other
legations at Pekin from mob violence
that public sentiment would have en-
courased the administration to inter-
yene by force for their protection. IL
must bs remembered that at the bonn
bardment and capture OF the Taku forts.
which was the first step OF actual war
in China. the U. S. val forces were
simply spectators. Then came the
trouble. the excitement all over China,
che disorders at the Capital, the inter
runtIon of intercourse with the minis
ters and the reports that the foreign le-
cations had been assaulted and all the
ministers and their families and other
Europeans and Americans, ageregatlng
perhaps a thousand souls or bodies, put
to death, with every conceivable detail
of cruelty and torture. All this was
good news to that keen class OF vul'
lures who scent plumber in foreign
var. and to that far larger class who
prefer daily diet OF lies and
horrors 60 common sense and truth.
Presumably the y s. government was
NOT responsible for the bOmbardment
of the Haku forts which precipiIated
this excitement, out IN view OF tue H.
sincerity Of the legations and the APP
meals for relief by Mr.. Conger and 9TH
ers. it was generally conceded that p
military exDeditiou should be directed
so az 10 rescue the ministers and their
families. and that the United 5 stes
contribute their quota or contingent OF
troops for this purpose. That this de-
tschmeut WAS pitifully small in COM
oarison with the forces of such powers
as Japan, Russia and Great Britain, we
need not repeat. Tientsin was first
taken after hard battle, looted, raw
aged with many deed of cruelty, and
partly burned. Some time after this
event the march to Pekin went on and
the object OF the expedition was finally
accomplished. Nominally the avowed
objects Of the allies were all right, but
not one of them fully trusted the pur-
poses OF the other. Russia was espec-
sally charged with having evil designs.
The u. S. State Department, however,
rolled up its eyes to high heaven and
protested that it did not want piece
of the pie and hoped every body else
would be equally disinterested. Pekin
having been taken by assault and "loot-
ed" after the most approved fashion OF
q high Christian civilization, and the
ministers being found perfectly safe,
what ought to have been the next stepY
Partition, or an indefinite occupation
OF the Chinese capital obviously laying
the basis for the game of grab and par
tition, or treaty with the Chi
nese government providing for a
reasonable indemnity for losses, and
Cor life and property, and such adjust
ments for the future as would secure
our trade relationship only relation
by the way, that we need to have with
China. We have heretofore pointed
out that the Chinese government could
not be expected to return to Pekiu, be-
come virtually prisoners OF war, and
make treaty of peace that would be
OF any value whatever. A fugitive Chi
nese government might perhaps make
a treaty, but its value would be open
80 question, aud 1t is clear that if peace
was the real bona 6de object, the CHI
nese government ought to make 1t with
the prestige resulting from the undis-
turbed possession of its own capital.
Even then, it would not be so easy for
a feeble government to enforce submits
sion to its engagements in a vast en-
pire with so many diverse interests as
China. At this stage OF the business,
Russia, the power OF all others, most
freely charged with q selfish and ul-
$erior purpose, makes to this govern
meOt and others frank and manly
proposal TO withdraw it's forces from
China, and when the Chinese govern
ment re-establishes its authority, to
enter into negotiations with it. II the
Mckinley government had been NOV
ing in good faith, it would have prompt
ly and freely accepted the proposal OF
Rnssia. But it does not do 80. II
argues 10 its reply "in favor of joint
occupation of Pekin under a definite
understanding between the powers
until the Chinese government shall
have been re established or "shsll be in