New-York tribune., 1900-08-01
TRIUMPH OF DIPLOMACY
MINISTER'S N PEKING SAVED BY THIS
GOVERNMENTS POLICY.
rBr TELEGRAPH TO THE rR1sUxE.I

tsot II the messages from the Ministers a.
rstiug which have reached the world bv vav
- Tien-Tsin in the official eye is the great
triumph Of American diplomacy which savad
,be lives OF the Ministers and other foreigners
!, the Chinese capital, and turned the tide or
imperial hostility first TO passive and finally 70
active protection It was the attitude Of the
American Administration that deferred the
powers from declaring war on China which
INST have resulted in .he relentless massacre
n the refugees in the legations at the tina
,zben rioting was fl progress but when il could
not be definitely ascertained that anything could
b gained by declaring war, while serious future
COMPLICATIONS might certainly be avoided. II
7ss the Presidents policy. declared in q note
n 81 the Powers on July 3. TO define the inten-
lions q the United States as seeking q soIu-
ton which may bring about permanent safety
snd peace TO China. preserve Chinese territory
and administrative entity protect all rights
guaranteed 10 friendly Powers by treaty and
International law. and safeguard for the world
The principle Of equal and impartial trade with
al parts OF the Chinese Empire"
This declaration united the Southern yIceroys
n defence Of foreign interests which they quick
Iy recognized as their own. and prevented the
spread OF the Boxer agitation TO the most con-
ceat-ated and valuable foreign settlements
which lie in their provinces and effectively con-
fred the rioting 10 'the territory dominated by
ManohUs
RESULTS OF Mr. HAYS NOTE
The next, and. it turns out. the r1cst I'm
po-tant step taken by this Government, and
The one most sneered at throughout Europe.
the exhibition Of confidence ard reliance in
Chinese officials. and in the absence Of all other
feasible means. either forcibIe OF persuasive, re-
sorting 70 the good Offices Of Minister Wu Ting
Fang and his influential friends a. home TO res
cre their legations
The climax came in Secretary Hays test Of
twenty days ago. when the first edict OF the
Emperor reached the Powers with its route Of
pr0mulgation from the Forbidden City through
various hands until its final delivery stamped
upon Il. As told in The Tribune about that
tine, an inspiration came 70 the Secretary Of
State that by reversing this route Picking might
be made TO understand the true state of affairs.
and Il. as the edict complained. The seizure of
the Taku forts was a mistake. it might Re
rectided- It was q forlora hope, but the Chinese
Minister whose sincerity AMI good will could
never for an instant be doubted, seized on It
and Immediately sent MS memorial 10 the
throne. explaining the friendly attitude OF the
United States as set corth in the declaration Of
July 3. and begging the Emperor to save the
legations and rely on the President TO mediate
STOPPED ATTACKS ON LEGATIONS.
~ the same time or within few hours fol-
lowing, went the request TO Minister Conger for
cdingE IN cipher. which was shocking TO Europe
as final demonstration OF the puertIe diplou-
Gey CT the United States. From that moment
the Chsnceleries OF Europe were prepared 10
discredit any effort the United States might
make 70 solve the problem OF Peking. and most
OF them were resolved in advance TO discredit
any message that Conger might send IN reply
To-day's dispatches from Tien-Tsin have put
new aspect on the case and publicly confirmed
what hGs been known In Washington for several
Gays. that the cipher message delivered 10
Conger and the WI memorial, which were both
sent st Secretary Hays suggestion promptly
stopped the bonbardment Of the legations in
Peking the very day those messages reached
their destination. and the situation has been
steadily improving ever since. Nothing that
the other Powers have done has contributed re-
uctely 70 this remarka bic result. The first stage
of the game has been won by lone hand. and
that American hand
Il was TO be expected that Europe would take
z final fling. Il was presented in the cable dis
patches this morning when Sir Claude Mac
doEsId's announcement q the arnistice since
July Is was cited as proof of the spuriousness
Of Minister Conger's cipher message which de-
clared shot and shell continuous July IS
Many misleading statements and much con-
fusion have grown out Of the unwarranted as
sumption that Minister Conger's dispatch was
dated at Peking on the 18th, Nothing could
have been wider OF the truth. Under con-
ceivable circumstances could it have been writ
ten later than the 18th. for no edict other
news has come cut Of Peking in less than four
days. and many OF the messages have taken five
or six days. AS q matter Of fact, as pointed out
in The Tribune ten days ago, the Conger mes
sage left Pekng on the 18th and reached Wash
3ngrou on the 2Oth Secretary Hays cipher mes
sage started on The 11th. and nine days elapsed
before the reply arrived There was probably no
greater delay in the transmission TO Peking than
ia The transmission from Peking. Everything
pointed 70 four Gays consumed in each direc-
tion, and one day-the 16th-was probably de-
voted 70 getting the dispatch under flag OF
truce from the Tsun gil Yamen into the British
Legation and out again
STEPS TOWARD MEDIATION
The truce necessary 10 accomplish that act has
lasted ever since. and there is no longer any
doubt Of the incaIcuiable benefits that came 10
the besieged legations through the delivery Of
that simple request for tidings. The only doubt
is whether 50 simple & message ever played so
important role in the history OF civilized
times. The first step-that OF bringing the Chi
nese authorities to their senses-having been
accomplished by Washington diplomacy, subse-
ouentIy emphasized by the seizure of Tien-Tsin
By the allies, and the first Of the Presidents
prerequisites TO mediation, the security OF Min
isrers having been established there remain
only two more requirements to give the Cnited
States the right recognized by majority or
those interested 10 intervene for permanent
peace. The second condition exacted by the
President as preliminary 10 his actiOn-the free
communication OF the Ministers with their gov
ernments-begtne 70 give promise OF speedy re-
aIfzarion The almost insurmountable diff
culties. due 70 the destruction OF all teiesraphlc
and other means Of communication within one
hundred miles Of Peking. are probably aggra-
waited by the fact that Boxers and insubordinate
troops are stin holding the railway and river