The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1900-08-06
SOME
OF the Forces Have gone toward
Pekin.

WASHINGTON, AUGUST 4-some fea-
lures of the dispatch received from Cen
eral Chaffee yesterday and which the war
department refused to make public be-
came known today. The first dispatch
received from General Chaffee contained
very little information but closed with
the statement that he was going forward
to Tien Tsin and would give his views.
That Is what he has done. His Views
as cabled in the dispatch of yesterday
would be far from palatable to several
foreign governments and that is one rea-
son why the dispatch was not made pub
lie. One thing is certain:
General Chaffee and his forces have
gone forward toward Pelxin with the
British and japanese forces. The troops
of the other nations assembled at Tien
Tsn did not join in the movement but
the reasons given by General Chaffee
could not be learned. It is understood
that the criticism contained in the AS
sociated Press dispatches received yester-
day of the sanitary condition existing at
Tien Ts!n is borne out in General Chat
fees dispatch, but in discussing the mat
ter with the war department he has been
more specific and the names of the COM
mands are given which failed to take
the proper precaution for the health Of
the international forces.
War department officials generally re-
fuse to discuss the contents OF the dis
patch and Secretary Root announced en-
phatically that it would not be given to
the public and further that no additional
dispatches had been received from Con
eral Chaffee. The international questions
involved make it impossible, to give the
dispatch to the public, and it is further
desired that the proposed movement of
troops should not be heralded to the
world for the advantage Of the Chinese
forces, which are opposing the advance
Cor the rescue of the besieged minister's
The steady prosecution of the military
movements undoubtedly has frightened
the Chinese viceroys, who have been
sparring for time and endeavoring to use
the diplomatic corps at Pekin as pro-
lection. The Tsung Ii Yamen dispatch
received this morning fairly illustrated
this condition and made it plain that the
imperial government again is trying to
Pekin by menacing the, foreign ministers.
Having formerly refused to put them in
communication with their governments
and this having proved Intellectual to stop
the advance, it would not be surprising
If the Chinese government should next
do one Of two things, either come forward
with a threat to renew the attack on the
legations If the advance is not stopped
or resort to the plan Of delivering the
ministers safely at Tien Tsin or at least
to the commanders Of the international
column, trusting that way, to abate the
The force of invasion and induce the pow
ers to consent to negotiations for set
tlenent fthe trouble.
1t is learned here that Viceroy Ii Hung
Chang actually undertook to do this,
but sought to make the condition for the
safe delivery of the ministers that the
imperial government should be held
blameless for what had occurred at Pc
kin. This condition having been reject
ed absolutely by the terms of President
McKinleys reply to the Chinese govern
ment it may be that Ii is trying to ar
range for the delivery OF the ministers
without conditions, trusting to the graft |
tude of The powers TO secure the desired !
absolution, n.-..a N IA