The Savannah morning news., 1900-07-22

gard to race or previous condition, hum
grily devoured the meager reports in the
extras and laborers eased up in their
picking and shoveing to discuss the Chi
neSe situation and express the hope that
the United States would Immediately as
semble an army, transport it to China,
and eXterminate the entire Celestial race.
That the excitiment and anxiety prevail
ing In Washington was shared through
out the country was apparent from the
flood of kilograms from newspapers and
friends and relations of reported victims
that flowed into the Capital City from ev-
cry direction. Such was the condition of
affairs Tuesday afternoon when President
Mckinley reached the White House in re-
Spouse to the hurry up" call sent him by
the cabinet the day previous. His pres
ence in Washington seemed to have an in
Simultaneously reassuring, and quasi paci-
flying effect. 1t may have been due to
more hopeful or encouraging reports from
China received the same day. but as
matter of fact the Presidents home COM
ing unques tionably relieved members of
the cabinet from the responsibilities which
were apparently greater than they desired
to endure alone. Officials who, on the day
previous wandered through the depart
ments with eyes cast down, knitted
brows, shoulders rounded by imagined or
real responsibilities, suddenly braced Up,
quickened their steps and assumed more
cheerful expression when assured that the
President was in the White House again
read to take such action as the circum-
stances demanded.
Around the White House.
Instantly the source of information was
transferred from the state department to
the executive mansion and the army of
ta1,x
White House, leaving, however, a strong
guard to do picket duty al the war, navy
and state departments, to capture such
bulletins AZ might escape from military,
naval or diplomatic channels. 1t did not
take President Mckinley long to conclude
that the condition, as he found them,
would rot justify the calling of an extra
session of Congress. There may have
been political motives back of his decision,
but the most logical reasoning fails to de-
velop any trace of political advantage to
be gained by declining TO ask Congress 10
share the responsibility for the admins
tration's POLICY in dealing with the Chi
nese question From a political standpoint,
it is urged that it would be good politics
for the President to call an extra session
of Congress without waiting for further
developments in China. 1t is quite likely
that few infamma tory speeches depict
ing the supposed massac ores in Pekin and
the bloody battle at Tien Tsin, would so
arouse public emotions, that Congress,
without regard TO party, would cheerfully
vote for an increase in the army and
navy and provide the President with
an abundant war fund to be used
az his discretion in avenging
the wrongs of American citizens in China.
Thus Democrats and Republicans would
share whatever responsibility might at
tach to the action of Congress and il
would be difficult for the opponents of
Mr.. Mckinley 10 manufacture any dam
aging campaign material as a result of
asking the representatives. of the people
to advise with him to the ways and
means for meeting the emergency sup
posed to exist.
The President, however, took patriotic
and conservative view of The situation
and after a careful survey of the field and
the surrounding conditions, concluded that
it would be unwise to plunge the country
into a ate of war with China in the alb
stnce of any post We information from
Pekin upon which 60 base warlike act on.
Within a few hours, official Washington
had Gained down and some of the per
sons who, twenty-four hours before had
wildly shouted ION to Pelxin" suddenly
concluded that the interests OF the whole
country demand that our government
must be sure we are right before we go
oh