The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-07-29
TO DELAY ACTION is CRIMINAL.

IL is almost inconceivable in this age
OF national INSTRUMENTATION, through
the mediums OF telegraph cable ocean
greyhound and railroad. that ambassadors
Of every great capital OF civilization should
be unable to break the silence Of Pekin
or that their governments should for weeks
be powerlees to reach them with relief
column or message OF hope.
Yet all this is true OF the Chinese sit
uation.
The confidence OF the state department
Iin Washington. in the authenticity Of
Minister Conger's alleged message from
Pekin. slowly yields to the incredibly
which has attended It from the first on the
part OF European capitals and diplomats.
IL is conceded by careful writer's upon
the subject that European knowledge ot
Chinese duplicity and treachery, as
expressed IN their cruel but cum
ming diplomacy. should be superior
to American knowledge. Commercial
dealings with the Chinese, OF long
and extensive standing. together with
national nearness to the Celestial empire
conspro to strengthen this view Euro
pean pessimism as to what will he eventu-
ally revealed as the fate OF the foreign
legations. therefore. vastly outweghs. in
the logic Of occurrences. American oo-
timlsm.
But whether all the ministers are alive.
except the German ambassador. Il Is quite
obvious that they are fighting hour by
hour against peril which s;artles and
horrhes the world. This much has been
demonstrated Diplomacy can not pene-
trate the seclusion and silence OF Pekin.
nor probe the reason and mystery Of its
isolation. How far the Chinese govern
ment is potent or impotent, or how far
II acQuiesces or conspires in the lawless-
ness and inhumanity Of the Boxer insur-
rection diplomacy. with all the agencies
at Its masterful command. is powerless to
determine
Meanwhile almost every circumstance.
upon which the processes OF reason eau
seize. leads TO the conclusion that foreign
diplomacy's failure Is due to the counter
opposition OF Chinese diplomacy bent upon
denying Information Of the horrors at
Pekin either to delay Arrangement or 10
gain time in which to prepare to oppose.
with all the capacity OF the empire. the
march Of the allied powers upon its cap
'tal II one OF these conclusions he not
correct then who shall account Tor the
, fact that the Chinese government does
! not communicate the Pekin situation TO
the anxious capitals OF the world. except
) upon the theory that the Boxers control
and possess the statesmlnship. the d.
e plomacy. the army and all the power Of
the Chinese government root and brunch 4?
But why stand upon the outer rim Of
this Chinese horror and dawdle away
weeks OF precious time in purposeless
speculation? 1t is an hour for action. rot
for guessing. This hour was on a month
ago. Perhaps it existed much more re-
motely, only the powers did not know what
supreme dangers lurked in the yellow
peril OF the East to the worlds peace
certainly there must be immediate action
now.
Experts say that an army OF not less
tbin 10000 men should be modified for the
advance on PekIn. II It is to be success
iul. This force would have been on its
way now. II Japan had been permitted to
take the initiative, But jealousy ana
the Internal cunning OF European dtplo.
macy. predicated upon ambition to acquire
commercial prestige or upon lust to gain
new territory in n dynasty tottering to
It's disintegration from the throes OF In
ternal turmoil and putrldity, has operated
to prevent this Even now the allies halt
at Tien Tsin and quarrel. like wolves In
reach Of their prey, over who shall lead
the expedition on its mission OF relief aud
reiribution. This is spectacle that
shocks civilization almost as much as the
atroclous deeds OF the Boxers. II the
European powers, envlous Of each other
10 the verge OF crimInallty, can not select
commander OF the International column,
let them turn that honor over 10 the
United States upon disclaimer Of CONNER
cial designs on China. beyond the open
door policy, that the foreign legations. Il
alive may be rescued or, u dead from the
lvillainy Of the Boxers or the treachery cf
the Chinese imperial government. thai
they may be avenged. While this column
rests upon It's arms for lack OF an ac-
ceptable commander. merely because the
powers are suspicious OF each other. the
Indignation OF the United States is but s
form OF hysterical protest and the heroic
threats Of the kaiser but imperial swag
ger.
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