The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1900-08-03
Or Take the Serious ConSe-
quences Which Will Follow.
ONE BATTLE WOULD SETTLE IT
If Acceptance is Had the Unitedt
States Will be Face to Face
With a Most Delicate
Diplomatic Task ''.I

Washington, August 2.-Secretary Hays
reply to Ii Hung Chang has closed the ne-
gotiations with China unless the old vice.
roy is able to secure the full acceptance OF
our terms relative to the foreign ministers.
No order, therefore, looking to relaxation
to the preparations for the advance on Pc
kin have gone out from Washington, for,
as the situation is described by one of the
leading officials here, there will be no bar.
gaining on our part in advance of the con-
fession by the Chinese authorities of full
and free communication with the foreign
minister's" There is moreover, a note omi-
nously close to actual war In Secretary
Hays declaration that the conduct of the
Chinese government Is unfriendly.
That kind of language is extreme in de
plomacy and there is only a narrow step
between 1t and formal war.
The impression prevails here that the
Chinese government, If 1t is not absolutely
bereft of power to act IN defiance of the
Boxers, will accept our terms and some
such action is looked for very soon. Pos.
sibly a battle, not t-more, 1t Is believed,
than one at most, will be required to bring
the Imperial government to the point OF
acceptance, though in that case 1t Is Quess
tionable whether the original conditions
would be regarded as still open to accept
ance. II the Chinese government now acA
cepts, however, the United States govern>
ment will be face to face with one of the
!, most delicate and momentous diplomatic
tasks ever undertaken.
Must Redeem Its Promise
1t must attempt to redeem its promise to
use its good office In favor of China, and
in the present temper of some of the Eu-
ropean powers to redeem its promise to
u.s. the greatest difficulty may be expected
to arise in the prosecution of the attempA
1t is the confident expectation of the ofs
ficials here, however, that II the Chinese
government actually and in good faith
meets all of the four conditions laid down
by the President in his reply to the Chi~
nese Emperor's appeal for aid, that at
least majority of the powers now repre-
sented in China will accept that as a prop.
er base upon which to cease present hos
tilities and open negotiations for a settle.
ment. The decision of the majority In such
case without doubt would receive the ace
quiescence of the minority, else an entan-
clement might arise.
Secretary Root said this afternoon there
had been no developments which would
necessitate any changes in the instructions
to General Chaffee, or which would change
the intentions of the government In the
least. A cipher cable message was sent to
General Chaffee by Secretary Root today,
which contained additional information and
facts which have developed since the last
message was sent him at Nagasaki. The
message contained no additional tnstruc.
tions, but merely information which he
may use as a guide to his actions.
The Reported Advance Doubted
1t is not believed at the War Department
that an advance has been made as yet
from Tien Tsin. 1t is explained that the
last dispatches indicated a great deal OF
delay in unloading the transports, and be-
fore any advance can be made the troops
must have all of their equipments and
transportation, for the idications are that
the plans being matured at Tien Tsin co1s
template a rapid advance when the move
ment begins, for 1t seems to be understood
that there will be carried with the army
sufficient quantity Of supplies to maintain
the troops on the march to Pekin and re-
turn If a return should be advisable. The
fact that no reports were received from
General Chaffee during the day was not
surprising to the War Department officials,
who said that the general was busy prepar-
ing for the campaign, and moreover, COM
munication between Taku and Che Foo 10
uncertain.