Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1900-08-16
The Washington Authorities Anx-
ious About Affairs In China.
MESSAGE TO IMPERIAL GOVERNMENT


| receipt OF the message from Mlnlster
Conger Tuesday night which indicated
q continuation of firing on the lega-
TONERS and the governments insist
ance that the ministers should leave
Pekin, which Mr.. Conger considered
would mean certain death, brought
matters to an acute stage. All day
the cabinet officers, who are in town,
have been consulting with each other
and the president was communicated
with by telegraph and by telephone.
Secretary Root held two conferences
with Attorney General Griggs and
several with Acting Secretary OF State
Adee and their views were commune
Gated to the president. As a result
It was announced that message to
the imperial government at Pekin had
been delivered to Minister WI for
transmission to his government. The
text of the message was prepared by
Acting Secretary of State Adee and
Secretary Root, and in its final form
was made known to the president in
talk conducted by Mr.. Root over the
white house long distance telephone.
1t was then stated definitely that the
authorities of this government would
not make public the text of this latest
communication to China until Minis
ter WI had had the opportunity to
forward it to his government. The
chief officials of the government were
not willing to outline in any definite
manner the contents of the message,
although it was generally accepted
that the communication was emphatic
and to ths point.
The state department sent cipher
cable message to Minister Conger,
responsive to his message made pub
lie Tuesday night and intended to
test the assertion Of the Chinese edict
that free cipher communication would
be allowed.
The message sent to the Chinese
government through Mr. WI, accord
ing to the best information obtain
able, informs that government that
the removal of the restrictions upon
communication with our ministers,
evidenced both by the receipt OF Mr..
Conger's message and the transmits
sion of the edict of the 5th, is very
gratifying, but is not an entire com
pliance with the original demands OF
the president in his reply to the ap-
peal for mediation. The presi-
dent, in his original communica-
ton to the emperor Of China, laid
down three conditions precedent to
any action looking to negotiations for
settlement of the difficulties between
China and the powers. These condi-
tions, in the presidents own words,
were as follows: 81 most s0lemnly
urge upon your majesty's government
to give public assurance whether the
foreign ministers are alive, and If so
in what condition. TO put the diplo-
matte representatives of the powers
In immediate and free communication
with their respective governments and
to remove all dangers to their lives
and liberty. To place the imperial au-
thoritics of China in communication
with the relief expedition so that CO.
operation may be secured between
them for the liberation of the lega-
tions and the protection of foreign
ers. by the restoration of order"
These three demands practically
were reiterated in the dispatch which
Secretary Hay sent to Consul General
Goodnow at Shanghai August /, for
submission to Earl Ii Hung Chang.
The authorities consider that the
opening of communication with Min
lister Conger therefore only partially
complies with the presidents de-
mands. With the legationers still UNI
der fire the Chinese government can
not be said to have removed "all dan
gers to their lives and liberty" and,
moreover, SO far as known here, the
imperial authorities of China have
made no efforts to communicate and
cooperate with the relief expedition.
This governments determination, IT is
hoped, will show the Chinese govern
ment that the United States is not
TO be trhed with, and will bring the
shifting, evasive authorities in Pekin
to Il fun realization of the situation,
and the consequences of refusal.
Minister WI early in the day
brought to the state department the
imperia cdict removing the restric-
tions from free communication with
the ministers.
Two dispatches were received dur
ing the day, one from Admiral Remey
and the other from Gen. Chatfee.
Both related to the fighting at PETIT
sang. Admiral Remey's dispatch
stated specifically that the Americans
were not engaged, and Gen. Chaffee's
dispatch explained how it was that
they practically were ont of 1t. They
occupied the rear of the turning col
unu. Owing to the limited ground Of
operations which he mentions II Is
probable that the Americans could
not be brought into the thick of the
fighting, and they thus escaped with