Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1900-07-26
President Mckinley Asked to Use
His Good Offices.
SEIZURE OF TAXI FORTS A MISTAKE
A. Imperial Edict submitted by Consul
Fowler at Che F0o-AmericA to Re-
Iieve Pekin and Then Wash Its
Hands Of Chinese Affairs

good offices to extricate that gov
eminent from the difficult and
dangerous position in which it
has been placed as result
Of the boxer uprising and the ensuing
\ hostile attitude Of the great powers.
Although the exact text of the APP
peal made by the emperor Of China
TO France, as outlined in the cable
dispatches Of Saturday, has not been
known here, II is believed that the dis
patch to the president Is similar to
terms to that communication. In our
X Gaze the communication was made
through Minister WI to the state de-
y partment. Thus far a final answer
4 has not been returned. The French
government answered at once, but
n that answer will not serve u.s. The
United States government Is conscien-
tiously proceeding upon an entirely
different line of policy in the treat
tnent of the case. Unfortunately the
state department finds itself alone in
I this, but nevertheless 1t Is convinced
that its plan Is the best, and it has
behind 1t the cons0lng assurance that
at present all of the European gov
ernments have tacitly admitted that
m error was made in the beginning in
not following the common sense adj
vice of the United States naval COM
mander at Taku. The point Of DIFF
ference between the state department
and the European governments Is
that the latter are proceeding on the
belief that oil Of the foreign minis
tiers and missionaries and guards at
Rekin have been killed and insist in
dealing with the Chinese government
upon that basis, thereby assuming a
hostile attitude that tends to destroy
The last chance Of availing Of whatever
\ friendly sentiment may yet exist
smong the powerful Chinese viceroys
md the imperial government itself.
X Thus the French reply, as indicated
n the four conditions laid down by
~ Delcasse Saturday, sets an i'm
possible task for the imperial govern
( ment in Its present straits and tends
70 drive II at once to make terms
with the boxers and Prince Tuan's
party.
On the other hand our government,
while not guaranteeing the truth Of
the advices from the Chinese govern
ment us to the safety of the foreign
ministers, is willing to accept the
statements temporarily, in the mean
time remitting none of its efforts to
get access to Mr.. Conger through the
nse Of military force II need be. BY
following out this policy the state de-
psrtment argues that 1t retains two
chances instead Of one. II may reach
Mr.. Conger with troops and It also
may secure his deliverance through
the friendly Offices of some of the
powerful Chinese officials, which the
powers are not likely to obtain for
their own people by following out
their present policy It may be
stated also that the United States gov
ernment has not and does not intend
70 relinquish any part of its claim for
compensation and reparation in the
ultimate settlement. Its position in
that respect 1t holds will not be af-
lected unfavorably by prosecuting its
EFFORTS to make use of the friendly
sentiments Of the Chinese officials.
A particularly deplorable effect Of
The reasoning Of the European gov
ernments on this point, in the estima.
tlon Of our government, is the aban-
donment Of the idea that there is
particular need for haste and for
taking even desperate chances in
the effort to get the international re-
lief column through to Pekin. 1t Is
true that the latest advices from Taku
indicate that whereas II was original
y estimated by the foreign com
manders that the expedition could
not be started before August 10 II is
now regarded by them as possible to
make beginning about the list Of
August. But the military experts
here, who have been closely scanning
\ Ill the reports from Tien Tsn that
appear to be worthy of credit, feel
that even now the way is open to
Pekin and that the march should be-
gin with the force at present on the
Pel-Ho, leaving the powers to bring
mp reinforcement to reopen the base,
should the first expedition be cut off.
According to the latest official reports
the country around Tien Tsn is clear
OF hostile Chinese. The flower of
} the Chinese army in that section has
been defeated at Ten Tsin and these
army experts calculate that its
\ power is so broken that that particu.
Lar army never can be reorganized
In season to offer formidable resist
ance. So they argue that the time
n ripe for stroke of bold general
ship; such for instance as French's
ride to Kimberley.
Further proof Of an official charac-
Yer Of the mistake made by foreign
commanders In the attack on the
Taku forts is contained in a commu-