Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-08-16
HASTEN THE RELIEF
ADMINISTRATION SAYS ONE
THING Is IMPERATIVE.
PRESS FORWARD TO PEKIN
Conger Dispatch Justifes This-Safety
of Besieged Allows no Other Course
Government Will Not Urge Min
lister TO Leave Pekin-Evident Chi
nese Double-Dealing.

Washington, Aug. lin the light
Of the latest dispatch from Minister
Conger the attitude Of the administra-
ton is that there is but one thing to
be done in the present circumstances,
namely, to press on to the relief OF the
besieged garrison at Pekin. This was
made known after extended cOmmuni-
cations between Washington and the
president at Canton. The Conger dis
patch is accepted as showing cOnciu-
siVe justification for the imperative
demand Of the United States sent to
the Chinese government Wednesday,
insisting that the imperial troops CO.
operate with the International force
in the rescue of the ministers, and
until this condition is fully conceded
to by China there is no other course
open but to press steadily onward in
the mission of relief.
The Conger dispatch was received
before daylight at the Chinese lega-
tons, and as soon as the official day
opened Minister WI presented it to
Acting Secretary Adee a. the state de-
partment. 1t was in the American
cipher, and was found to be the iden-
teal note with that of the other min
| listers at Pekin, with the additional
fact that seven members
of the American guard had been killed
| and sixteen wounded Discussion with
| the president led to the determination
to reply to the Conger message at
once. Accordingly Secretary Root ana
Acting Secretary Adee conferred on
the terms OF this reply. 1t was for
warded late in the day. 1t was an
nOunced officially and positively that
( this message would not be made pub
lie, either in whole or substance. 1t
was made plain, however, that the mes
sage was sufficiently guarded, so as
not to further increase the jeopardy Of
our ministers in case the Chinese have
| access to our cipher. AS to the terms
| of the message, they are believed to
make plain that this government will
! not advise, much less direct, that Con-
| ger leave Pekin under a Chinese es-
cort, when the minister has advised
| tain death Moreover, the reply doubt
| less lets the minister know that there
is an unaccOuntable error in the state
ment of the Chinese government as
| conveyed to him through the tsung Ii
| yamen that the foreign government
| had uurged repeatedly that the minis
! ters be sent out of Pel1In under a suit
able escort.
This clause, cotained in Conger's lat
est dispatch, clearly hOws the Chinese
government leading him to believe it
was the wish of Washington that he
leave under a Chinese escort, whereas
the United States government has
never entertained for a moment the
idea of having the minister set out on
dangerous pilgrimage from Pekin to
the coast, under Chinese protection.
There is no probability that the atten-
ton of the Chinese government will be
directed to its apparent double dealing
as indicated by the COnger dispatch.
This government has transmitted to
the other powers interested the note
to the Chinese government entrusted
TO mister WI on the night OIL me OH
1t has the assurance from the other
powers that they have notadvised their
representatives to accept the Chinese
escort from Pekin.
While the state department is con-
tinuing to dispatch messages to Minis
ter oCnger on the assurance of the CHI
nese government. it is doing so with
comparatively small hope Of their
delivery. This assertion was borne
out last night when Secretary Root
said there was no convincing evidence
that any of our dispatches really
reached Minister Conger. This indi-
Gates that the minister has not given
a direct and satisfactory answer to any
queries that have ben addressed him by
the state department..