The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1900-07-25
LEGATIONS SAFE.
ASSERTED THEY WERE ABOUT TO
PROCEED TO TEN TSIN.

A'Nsiutht Mchulcy Accepted the Ap-
peal of the Chinese and Is willing ia
Mediate Between Imperial Government
and the Powers.
LONDON, July 24.--Sir Halliday Mac.
Artney, counsellor and English secro-
tary to the Chinese legation in London
asserted last evening that the Pekin
legations were safe and about to pro.
coed to Ten Tsin.
WASHINGTON, July 2I.-The president
has listened to the appeal of the Chi.
nese government, as transmitted
through Minister WI, and has signific a
his willingness to mediate>between the
imperial government and the powers,
but only upon conditions which first
must be met by the Chinese govern.
ment.
The exact nature Of the terms pro.
posed by the state department., it is ex-
pected, will be made public today, when
tho text of the Chinese appeal and Of
the presidents answer will be given ont.
1t is known, however, that the answer
is entirely consistent with the statement
Of principles laid down by Secretary
Hay in his identic note to the powers,
and, moreover, il accepts as truthful the
Chinese statements relative 20 the safe.
ty of the foreign ministers at Pekin.
The state department has the consol
ing assurance that at present all of the
European governments have tacitly ad.
mittod that an error was made in the
beginning III not following the common
sense advice of the United States naval
commander at Talxu. The point of diff
ference between the state department
and the European governments is that
the latter are proceeding upon the belief
that all of the foreign ministers and
missionaries and guards at Pekin have
been killed and insist upon dealing with
the Chinese government ON that basis,
thereby assuming hostile attitude that
tends to destroy the last chance of avail
ing whatever friendly sentiment may
yet exist among the powerful Chinese
viceroys and the imperial government
itself.
Thus the French reply, as indicated
in the four conditions laid down by NJ
Delcasse Saturday, sets an impossible
task for the imperial government in its
present straits and tends to drive it AT
once TO make terms with the Boxers and
Prince Tunn's party.
On the other hand our government,
while not guaranteeing the truth of the
advices from the Chinese government as
to the safety of the foreign ministers, is
willing to accept the statements tempo.
rarily, in the meantime remitting none
of its efforts to get access to Mr.. CongeI
through the use of the military force il
need be. BY following out this policy
the state department argues that it re.
tains two chances instead of one.
1t may reach Mr.. Congcr with troops
and it also may secure his deliverance
through the friendly offices of some of
the powerful Chinese officials, which
the powers are not likely to obtain for
their own people by following ont then
present policy. 1t may be stated also
that the United States government has
not and does not intend to relinquish
any part of its claim for compensation
and reparation in the ultimate settle
nent.
\ particularly deplorable effect of the
reasoning of the governments on this
point, in the estimation of our govern.
ment, is the abandonment of the idea
that there is no particular need for haste
and taking even desperate chances in
the effort to get the international relief
column through to PelSin 1t is true
that the latest advices from Taku indi.
cate that whereas it was originally esti.
mated by the foreign commanders that
the expedition could not be started be-
fore Aug 10, it is now regarded by them
as possible to make beginning about
the first Of August.
But the military experts here, who
have been closely scanning all the re-
ports from Tien Tsin that appear to bo
worthy of credit, feel that even now
the way is open to Pekin, and the march
should begin with the force at present
on the Pei Ho, leaving the powers to
bring up reinforccments to reopen tho
base, should the first expedition be cut
off. According to official reports the
country around Ticn Tsin is clear of
hostile Chinese.
The flower of the Chinese army in
that section has been defeated at Tien
Tsin, and these army experts calculate
that its power is so broken that that par
ticular army never can be reorganized
in season to offer formidable resistance.
SO they argue that the time is ripe for
stroke of bold generalship, such, for in
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