St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1900-07-18
AT WASHINGTON.


Washington, July 17.-Yesterday was
the most exciting day Washington has
known since the battle of Santiago. At
the very beginning came Admiral Rem
ey's cablegram announcing the defeat
of the allied forces at Tien Tsin, and
then came the account of the fight.
special cabinet meeting was at once
held on receipt of this news, with
such members present as happened to be
in town. The best indication of its ma
ture was the departure for the White
House of Secretary Hay Immediately
after the meeting. He had a long talk
with President Mckinley over the long
distance telephone, and it soon became
known that the president had decided
that it would be best for him to come
back from Canton to the national capital.
President Mckinley left Canton for
Washington last night in a special car.
The cabinet officers talked over the
possibility of reinforcing the troops in
China. There was no disposition shown
to withhold these troops; the only ques-
ton was as to the amount of additional
force available.
Secretary Root was reluctant to adj
nit that there was any necessity for
more American troops in China, and
said that thus far he had issued no or
ders for reinforcements. Continuing,
he said that the regiments already
slated for Chinese service those now in
China and those afloat, amount to 10, 665
men of all arms. Secretary Root said
that in view of the small standing army
of the United States, of our insignificant
force of field artillery as compared with
that of the great European powers and
OF our lack of territorial interest in
China this 10000 men represented more
than the United States pro rata share of
the international force which is to
operate against Pekin.
The situation has changed so rapidly
from day to day as to alter the estimate
of the foreign commanders several
times 1t is possible that the estimate
of troops needed for Chinese service will
be again increased. If so the United
States will respond. We might possibly
gather between 5000 and 1000 additional
troops. This, however, would be the
limit unless the war department disre-
garded a recommendation of General
Macarthur and drew still further on the
available troops in the Philippines.
The decision of the administration at
the end of a most eventful day Is that
the United States government is still
not at war with the government of China.
The big happenings at Tien Tsin, COM
ing on top of the stories of the last strug-
gle at Pekin have not affected the at
titude of the administration on this
point; the United States and China are
technically at peace.
But this official statement should not
be accepted as indicating a purpose on
the part of the United States government
to hold its hand in the administration Of
swift and adequate punishment upon
the Chinese, without regard TO station,
who may be responsible for the out
RACES of the past few weeks. 1t means
simply that the government of the
United States feels that it can best
achieve that purpose by regarding the
status officially as one of peace. To hold
otherwise would seriously cripple the
government in its efforts to obtain salts
faction for the outrages the Americans
In China have suffered. We should find
closed the ports of China, which are now
open to us, and all sorts of impediments
would be encountered that now are miss
ing. Therefore, according to the admin
istration's view, a declaration of war
would afford not even a technical gain,
while it would actually be heavy draw
back. Chairman Cannon of the house
appropriations committee is authority
for the statement that money in plenty
Is at the disposal of the president to meet
the present emergency, and that there is
no necessity for a called session of con-
! gress on that score.