The Savannah morning news., 1900-07-27
PRESIDENTS PRIVATE CODE
BY MEANS OF ri HE KEEPS UT
WITH CHINESE AFFAIRS.

his Adviccs Ahead of Those of the
Public-He Has Information That
the Ministers We're Alive July Ia,
How Messing Are Transmitted
Between Washington and Cantor
Without Leakage En Route.
Washington July EFF the unwritter
chapters of daily official correspondence.
of this government in connection with
the Chinese compilations were published.
they would furnish some interesting. II
not startling information. The President
Is undoubtedly the best informed man in
the United States on all subjects relating
10 China, That is, he has more source,
Oh information than any individual
While al Canton all important com.
muncaEons to him from Washington ar,
transmitted by what is known at the ex.
ecufive mansion as the Presidents cipher
code This code was especially created
by President Mckinley. and It is known
only to himself and two or three of the
most trusted employees of the executive
Iorce. All OF the important deliberations
now in progress between President Nc.
kinley and the Chinese government ar.
being conducted by the presidential CT
pher.
Such information as the Secretary OF
state, the Secretary of the Navy and the
Secretary of War the Chinese minister
or any other official wishes to convey to
the President is sent to the White House
There 1t is expressed in cipher and tele.
grabbed directly IN ha
in Canton, where an experienced and
trusted telegraph operator receives che
10 MIN unintelligible figures and turns
them over to Mr.. Cortelyou secretary "a
the President, for translation Such an
swer as the President desires 20 make
is reduced to cipher and transmitted back
to the executive mansion, where 1t is de.
tinat!on.
The presidential cipher differs entirely
from the codes used by the Department,
or state. the Army or the Navy Each
branch of the service has a separate and
distinct cipher of It's own. There have
been many interesting commu nications
between Washington and Canton recent
~ OF which the general public is in entire
ignorance. The substance Of these com.
munications may be revealed later on,
but for the present they are regarded as
dead secrets, except for a few officials,
the number nos exceeding a half-dozen
persons. All the correspondence in con-
nection with the proposition for media
ton was carried on by cipher for sew
eral days before any intimation OF IL
reached the public. There were many
questions to be considered before enter
ing such a field. and by means Of the
various codes used by our government all
Europe was sounded in advance, and the
President was in possession of Informal
ton bearing upon all sides of che ques-
ton before framing his reply to the EN-
peror Of China, which is generally con-
sidered to be one of the strongest, most
patriotic and at the same time adroit
diplomatic com munications that ever en-
AMAZED from any government.
II is understood that the President IS
In possession of Information which con-
vinces him now that Minister Conger and
the foreign sministers were alive in Pekin
on July IS, II not later. He Is further con-
WINGED that the foreign ministers. while
suffering great deprivation and discom-
future are being kept alive by the Chi
nese government and held as hostages TO
enable China to make terms with the for
eign Powers now seeking to overthrow
that empire. While the Chinese still re-
sort to methods Of warfare and govern
ment Of their people which belonged back
TO the dark ages, they have also acquired
the knowledge and the use of modern I'M
plements Of warfare. In dealing with the
Chinese situation, President Mckinley has
recognized the existence Of superstitu-
lions and to many Of us unaccounta bic con-
ditions, and at the same time, he has been
guided by the advice and counsel of those
who have had long and intelligent expe-
Renee in Chinese affairs. Such informa-
ton as has come to him from Chinese
sources has ben received with due consid-
GRAFTON and with such credibility as II was
worth The President IS not relying Up
on the Chinese government exclusively
for advice or even suggestions to what
course the United States shall take I'm
endeavoring to protect the lives and prop
erty Of American citizens.