The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-07-23
NEED Of HELP UNDATED
THAT IS THE FEELING AT WASH
MOTION AS TO PEKN
SITUATION
CHINA APPEALS TO UNCLE SAM
Asks Him to Help E1tricate the In
Der1a1 Government From the
Dilemma Caused by Box
eE Rebellion.


to be direct appeal from the Chinese
imperial government to use his good Of
fees to extrtcate that government from
the difficult and dangerous position IN
which II has been placed as q result OF
the Boxer uprising and the ensuing hos
tile attitude of the great powers. AL
though the exact text Of the appeal made
by the emperor Of China to France, as
outlined in the cable dispatches Of yes
terday, has not been made known here, #
Is believed that the address to the presi-
dent Is similar In terms to that communi-
cation. In our case the communication
was made through Minister WI to the
state department. Thus far a final an
sWer has not been returned. The French
government answered at once, but that
answer will not serve us. The United
States government Is conscientiously pro-
ceed1ng upon an entirely different line
of policy in the treatment of the case.
Unfortunately the state department hnds
itself alone In this but nevertheless 1t is
convinced that it's plan is the best, and
1t has behind 1t the consollng assurance
that at present all OF the European gov
ernments have tac1tIy admitted that an
error was made in the beginning in not
following the common sense advice of
the United States naval commander at
Taku. The point of difference between
the state department and the European
governments is that the latter are pro-
ceeding upon the belief that all OF the
foreign ministers and missionaries and
guards at Pekin have been killed, and in
sist upon dealing with the Chinese gov
eminent upon that basis, thereby assun1-
Ing a hostile attitude that tends to de-
stroy the last chance of awaiting Of what
ever friendly sentiment may exist among
the powerful Chinese viceroys and the
imperial government itself. Thus the
French reply, as indicated in the four
conditions laid down by M. Delcasse yes
terday sets an impossible task fer the
imperial government in It's present straits,
and tends to drive It 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
adYices from the Chinese government as
to the safety Of the foreign ministers, Is
willing to accept the statements tenn
porar1ly, In the meantime renting none
of its efforts to get access to Mr.. Conger
through the use OF the military force II
need be. BY following out this policy the
state department argues that 1t retains
two chances instead Of one. 1t may reach
Mr.. Conger with troops, and 1t also may
secure his deliverance through the friend
ly offices of some Of the powerful Chinese
officials, which the powers are not likely
ing out their present policy. 1t may be
stated also that the United States gov
eminent has not and does not intend to
relinquish any part OF It's claim for COM
pensatlon and reparauon in the ultimate
settlement It's position in that respect
It holds will not be affected unfavorably
by prosecuting its efforts to make use
Of the friendly sentiments Of the Chinese
officials.
particularly deplorable effect Of the
reasoning OF the European governments
on this point, in the estimation OF our
government, is the abandonment Of the
idea that there Is particular need for
haste and for taking even desperate
chances in the effort to get the interna-
tional relief column through to Pek1n.
It's true that the latest advices from
Taku indicate that, whereas 1t was orig
inally estimated by the foreign COM
manders that the expedition could not be
started before Aug. 10, it is now regarded
by them as possible to make a beginning
about the 1st of August. But the military
experts here, who have been closely
scanning all the reports from Tien Tsin
that appear worthy of credit, feel now
that the way Is open to Pelzin and that
march should begin with the force at
present on the Pei-Ho, leaving the pow
ers to bring up reinforcement to reopen
tI0 Od50, SuOulQ LI6 IlESL G8pGUILlOu D6
cut off. According to the latest official
reports the country around T4en Tsin is
clear Of hostile Chinese.
The flower Of the Chinese army in that
section has been defeated at Tien Tsin
and these army experts calculate that its
power is so broken that that particular
army never can be reorganized in season
to offer formidable resistance So they
argue that the time is ripe for a stroke
OF bold generalship-such, for instance,
as French's ride to Kimberley.
Further proof Of an official character Of
the mistake made by foreign commanders
In the attack on the Taku forts is contain
ed in a communication just received by
the state department from United States
Consul Fowler, at Che Foo. He has
transmitted an imperial edict which was
supplied to him by telegraph by the Chi
nese governor Of Shantung Yuan Shihkal
at Tsi-Nan, the capital of the province.
| It was issued on July II and related to
the present hostilitles between China and
the foreign powers. The dispatch con-
tanning the edict came to the state de-
| partment In such confused phraseoIogy
that it is impossible to do more than ap-
proximately state its sense. The edict
appears to state in the beginning that,
owing to the trouble existing between the
Christians and the populace, and to the
subsequent seizure Of the Taku forts,
which aroused the military to arms, the
imperial court was laying great weight
upon It's international relations.
The Manchu generals therefore, vice
| roys and governors, are ordered to ascer-
| tain whether the merchants and mission
aries Of the various nations residing in
! the open ports are being protected, and
| the assertion Is made that projects and
magistrates have been sent repeated i'm
perial edicts to protect the legations. Or
! ders also have been sent to the provincial
authorities to protect the missionaries.
| While the hosuHties have not yet ceased
the Chinese officials are directed to give
protection to the merchants and others of
the various nations In accordance with
| treaties and must not fail to obey. The
edict refers to the killing last month of
the Japanese chancellor, Sugiyama, which
It charaeterizes as startling. 1t says that
short time thereafter the German min
lister was murdered, while residing in
| the capital, conducting international af-
fairs. The edict expresses the deepest
| sympathy on account Of his death, and
| asserts that stringent instructions would
be issued to seize the murderer, who
must be caught and severely punished.
after the termination OF the present hos
tiltties, together with those who have
murdered foreigners and missionaries Or
taken their property without cause.
The language of the edict as given
by Mr. Fowler, on this subject is very
much involved, but 1t appears to exempt
from punishment those who have killed
foreigners Connected with war" The
governor Of Pekin and the yiceroy of