The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1900-08-30
Washington Letter.
washington, August 27, 1900.

So far as this government Is concerned,
the fighting In China is over, unless it be-
comes absolutely necessary to fight to
preserve order, and the Chinese situation
will be handled by diplomacy. Before
the allied army started to Pekin, the pol
icy OF this government was officially pro-
claimed, and the world informed that its
troops were in China solely to protect for
eigners and to preserve order. That pol
icy has been emphasized by communica-
tions to the allied governments, calling
attention to the object for which Ameri
can troops were sent to China hav-
ing been accomplished and requesting
that the other governments make known
their intention towards China, and sug-
gesting, If they have formed none, that |
an International commission be appointed |
to decide upon policy that all can fol-
low. The president is now waiting to
hear from the other governments.
There are strong reasons to believe
that Great Britain and Japan will be will
ing to join this government in withdraw
ing troops from China, if the Chinese gov
ernment can make even a respectable
showing of its ability to preserve order
and sustain itself; but there is a fear
that Russia and Germany not only will
decline to withdraw their troops, but that
they will, as the result of an understand
ing between them, declare war on China
for the purpose of conquering and con-
trolling the country, If allowed to do so
by the other powers. This government
will take no part in a war of conquest
against China, nor will 1t fight to prevent
such war. 1t will confine its efforts to
preserve peace and the Chinese empire to
diplomacy. Believing the diplomatic
crisis to be at hand, the president aban-
doned his trip to the G. A. R. encamp-
ment In Chicago In order to give his undi-
vided attention to it.
The tabulating machine used by the
census bureau, an American invention,
has attracted worldwide attention. 1t
has already been officially adopted by the
governments of France and Russia, and
the secretary of the statistical bureau of
Italy Is now in Washington for the pur-
pose Of examining the work of this won
derful machine with view to It's adoption
by his government for use in its next GEN.
sus, which will be taken In February,
1901.
Judge Lemuel Wilcox of Michigan, who
is in Washington on his way home from
a trip to Europe, talks Interestingly of
the different ideas prevalent in Europe
fifty years ago and now of this country.
He said: "When was young man, al
most half a century ago, spent a year
abroad, and travelled through most Of the
countries Of Europe. The U. s. was
then look ed upon by the rest of the world
much as a South American republic is
now regarded. Europeans believed we
we're a half savage, nomadic people of
little consequence in dealing with the
worlds affairs. Savage Indians were
supposed to prowl at night through the
streets of New York, and the fact that
we held the negro in slavery brought us
into open contempt. A citizen of this
country received much more considera-
tion II he allowed continental Europe to
believe he was an Englishman. The
change in European sentiment with refer
ence to America Is something marvellous.
The eyes of the world have been opened,
and the over-grown and clumsy child it
was inclined to sneer at fifty years ago Is
now looked upon as young giant whose
friendship all people are anxious to claim.
An American is treated with as much, If
not more, consideration than a native of
any other country. He is always sup
posed to be rich and to spend his money
like water.''
Pension Commissioner Evans, In his an
nual report, bears down hard on the
pension sharks. He says that an Of
, fetal inquiry has shown that 81 out OF
983 persons practicing as pension attorneys
are utterly untitled for the work, and that
more than % per cent of the total are
rated as not good. If that showing be
, correct, and there Is no reason to doubt
it., no time should be lost In revising the
roll of attorneys and shutting out the bad
and incompetent. 1t Is a duty alike te
the applicants for pensions and to the
honest and capable attorneys. The ne
, increase on the pension rolls during the
n year was 2,Ol0, the total, June 80, stand
@ ing at 992, 500. There was decrease IL
the total Of expenditures of the Office o
83,417. The report estimates that thu
new law which regards widow as de
pendent If her income does not exceet
:, $3.50 a year will add from 81, 900, 900 t,
e $4, ,000, 900 year to pension expenditures
r 1t always expresses the opinion that th
: present congress will add largely to th
n pension law by new legislation.
e According to contract just awarded
e by the navy department, the U. s. viii
q have six new Holland submarine torped,
J. boats inside of eleven months, two o
t which will be stationed on the Pacifi
t coat at San Francisco and in Puget Sound
while the others will be stationed on tn
\ Atlantic coast, at Boston, Philadelphia
: and In Hampton Roads.
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