Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1900-08-23
Capital of China Now Wholly in
the Hands of the Powers.

Washington, Aug. 22.-The capital OF
China is now wholly in the hands oI
the powers. The Chinese and Tartar
cities were entered on the 18th The
Imperial City, within the walls of the
Tartar City, fell either on the same
day or on the 10th. Chinese troops in
all day of the 10th to prevent the cap
ture of the imperial palace.
The cabinet session yesterday prac-
tically opened the consideration of the
momentous questions growing out or
the capture of Pekin and the war in
China. The absorbing question has
been the safety of Minister Conger and
the legationers at Pekin. Now, how
ever, that has given place to problems
of a more intricate and far reaching
character. touching the very existence
of the Chinese empire and the part
which the American government is to
take in the reconstruction of that
country.
The meeting was devoted entirely to
the Chinese situation. Several ques-
tions were awaiting attention. First
of these was the application of Ii
Hung Chang for the appointment or
Minister Conger or some other COM
missioner to negotiate for the cessa-
ton of hostilities The decision ar
rived at was to reject the appeal, and
a reply of this character will be sent
to Minister WI to be forwarded to Ii
Hung Chang The moving cause for
this action is that this government is
at present very much in the dark as to
whether there is any existing govern
ment in China. With the capital in
the hands OF the allies, the emperor
and empress dowager fugitives in hid
ing, and the entire governmental fab
ric paralyZed, there is no evidence of
an authority adequate to conduct nego-
tiations and secure results which will
be final and binding.
With the recognized ruler in fight,
no one seems to know who, if any
body, is directing it's affairs. AS China
is an absolute monarchy, without any
legislative branch, the emperor and
empress dowager are all powerful, and
practically they are the empire OF
China. Under the present remarkable
conditions. the United States will act
with extreme caution in whatever
Seps it may take toward a solution of
the pending problems. In the mean
time. there is reason to believe that the
United States and all other powers in
terested will keep their armed forces
on the ground, so that order may be
maintained and at least a semblance
of stable government brought out Of
the existing chaos.
The cabinet had before it a message
from Minister COnger. After the meet
ing the state department made public
portions of the dispatch, as follows
Secretary of state, Washington:
Saved Relief arrived today Entered
city with little trouble. Do not know
where imperial family Is. Except
deaths already reported, all Americans
alive and well. Desperate efforts made
last night to exterminate us Mitchell,
American soldier, and Russian and
japanese. wounded. German killed
"The whole movement is purely
governmental one. The Boxers are only
pretense, having no guns. The conf
Dental adviser of the empress was the
leader Of the imperial troops here. The
imperial family left four days ago for
Shan 81 province. 1t is estimated that
the strength of the Pekin garrison was
10000 men. The legation was urged to
leave the city under an escort of Chi
nese troops, but feared treachery."
1t had been hoped that Minister
Conger's advices, as well as those from
Gen. Chaffee, would be ample by this
time, in order to afford the Washing
ton officials full opDOrtunitv to deal
with the perplexing questions raised by
the Chinese disturbances. Gen. Chat
fee has not been heard from and the
COnger message was not as complete
as the authorities here had desired.