The sun., 1900-08-23
HOWCIlNAMA AVERTWAR
PRESIDENT SENDS AN ANSWER TO LTs
PEACE PROPOSALS.
order Must lie Restored and Proof Given
That There Il strong and Friendly Gov
ernment Before Troop, WIN lie Withdrawn
Fran the FmoiTe-No ArmIstce Yet

| on the foreign legations, mas ueVTH'hou :"
throw Ita influence on the side Of peace IL
will be for the Chinese Government To decide
whether It will submit itself 10 the merces OF
the Powers or continue to oppose them IN heir
efforts t. bring about normal conditions In
! the Empire Submission may mean great
losses TO China. but II will serve 10 avert bloody
war OppositIon will bring war In ita fun
meaning with all the attendant dangers 10
| Chinese territorial integrity and the Manchu
| dynasty The American Government despite
| the indienltss offered TO its diplomatic repre-
| sentatiyes and citizens in China. has onered
! the Imperial authorities last chance 10 re-
| deem themselves Ia the eyes OF the world III
| the Chinese do not take advantage OF that op-
! portunty, the worst may he expected
| The determination OF the Government 10
| make a final effort to avert war Is the result
| OF conferences held between the President ana
| his of1cial advisers during the past Few days
| In these conferences the recent kilograms from
Minister Conger were considered with the great
est care. II was realized that they presented
evidence so incriminsting the Chinese Govern
| ,nent that I'm other circumstances and with
| almost any other nation than China honor ana
| pride would demand that war be declared
| There IL reason to believe that the President
postponed a final decision In regard to the
action that should be taken with regard To MI
| Conser's testimony OF Chinese official com
pll,ity in the attacks on the legations In Pekin
until he had had the opportunity Of consulting
with Secretary Root In whose judgment and
foresight he has great confidence Mr. hoot
returned To Washington from New YORK to-day
and was In conference with the President ior
several hours The decision to adhere 10 inc
policy that has been pursued by the hited
States since the attack on the legations began
Is believed 70 have been reached In consequence
OF their exchange OF views.
The general scope Of the answer 20 be re-
turned to IL Hung Chang's latest peace pro-
posas was outlined at yesterdays 'ablhet
meeting but the President was unwilling TO
give his indorsement TO the terms Tentatively
agreed on until he had talked with Secretary
Root. There was a serious question involved
OF whether, In view OF the accusation Of Min
ister Conger. a virtual ultimatum should not
be- delivered 70 ii Hung Chang In the three
hours and more that the President ana MI
Root we're together to-day the terms Of the
response to III we're finally agreed on. and the
communication was delivered this evening to
WI Tins-fang. the Chinese Minister for trans
mission TO Earl a. Mr.. Adee. the acting Sec
retary OF state. was with the President and Mr..
Root during the greater part 81 the conference
and did much Of the work OF preparing the
response
There were two communications from IL
Hung Chang proposing peaceable settlement
Of the existing difficulties. One of these.
dated Aug ~, related TO Il cessation or hos
tile demonstrations. and the other. dated Aug.
2l and handed 90 the acting Secretary OF state
by Minister WI Yesterday. proposed the ap-
poIntrnent Of re representatives. OF the Powers
10 negotiate with China. Minister Conger be-
ing suggested az the representative or the
United States These two communications
and the answer Of the United States will be
made public tomorrow morning. by which
time Mr. WI will have had the opportunity
Of transmitting the American response to
Earl IL at Shanghai.
While the agreement Of the President and the
Cabinet yesterday as TO the terms Of the answer
10 LIS proposals still holds good with regard
Ia its scope. there Is reason TO believe that the
conference at the White House to-day resulted
in the preparation ot communication some
what more explicit and probably more EN-.
phatic than Ind been previously contemplated.
The response il in effect a denial Of Lis pro-
posals, but IL points out a way to China 10 save
herself from war with the overs. The Ameri-
can note or memorandum is intended TO be
meraly nm acknowledgment Of the receipt Of
Ia communication, but It contains a definite
answer TO his suggestions The attitude Of
the United States as defined in the note. Is that
some responsible central authority must assert
itself in China and show itself TO he strong
enourh 10 nut an end to the prevailing dis
orders Until that central authority. proving
itself 10 be- the de facto Government OF China
bv it's Willingness and ability 10 establish order
comes forward aud accomplishes the ends
desired and demanded 10y the United States.
no PROPOSALS. for All armistlce or for the appoint
| mant Of a peace commission will be enter
! Iained by this Government.
1T is n step toward peace, In that Il points
| ont way to China by which peace may be
attained said prominent oflcial 10 THE
SvS reporter this evening. 1T will be for
China to determnenNhether she wants peace
or war We oannotralk peace while this snip
| ing at our soldiers and citizens is going on in
the empire There must be complete res
/ toration Of order before We will agree to talk
/ about a settlement"
Another prominent ofi,ial said: Before
we can treat with China we must find a
! Government with which TO treat. We do not
| know the whereabouts OF the Chinese Govern
/ ment We do not intend TO find out where IL
| has concealed itself. Let il seek us. We have.
! by this answer to III Hung Chang. sent our card
| 10 the lady who has ruled the destines OF China
and are sitting on her doorstep waiting TO hear
whether she is In and willing TO see us, II she
! is not at home. we will wait on tho step until
she returns That's the situation. as ! under
stand lit"
sun another official said: The answer
Is not an ultmatum. according to my view,
and ought 10 know, but you may have dif-
ferent view. when II is made public you will
find think. that what the United States mean
| IL expressed with perfect clearness"
The text Of the communication 10 IL Hung
Chang was transmitted by telegraph this even
ing TO the United States Ambassadors in Europe
and the United States Minister In ia pan. with
| instructions to each 10 present IL to the Gov
ernment To which he is accredited In this
way responses from the Powers will be in
vited. and then it will be developed whether
the reports Of the Ministers in Pekin and the
failure OF the Chinese Government TO cooper
ate with the allies have brought about any
change In the views Of Europe and Japan.
Meanwhile the American troops will be re-
talned In China Until the Chinese Govern
ment. II there is any. shows itself willing and
able to restore order and negotiate with the
Powers for terms Of peace the question OF with
| 4 49, anA