The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-11-24

As result Of the deadlock between the
ministers in Pekin, which, it is feared,
may result in a complete split in the Con-
cert Of the Powers. and following the weeks
of useless wrangling as to the amount OF
indemnity to be demanded. this Govern
rnent today. through the State Depart
ment took the initiative toward beginning
the peace negotiations anew, taking the
work out of the hands Of the ministers and
placing It with q commission t. be COM
posed Of three representatives. appointed by
each Of the interested Powers
A notice to this effect was this morning
forwarded to the American diplomatic rep
resentatives at each of the foreign capi-
tails The plan was agreed upon at hur-
ried conference between the President and
Secretary Hay at the White House, this
morning, before they left the city. Seere-
tary Hay then returned to the State De-
partment and prepared the notice which
was then sent out by Assistant Secretary
Hill. Minister Conger was also furnished
with copy with special instructions as TO
his immediate actions.
1t is thought that the new plan viii
meet with general satisfaction, as the
peace negotiations have come to halt
and there is now no hope of arriving at
satisfactory conclusion within many
months. if at all, while the matter is in
the hands of the ministers. II IS thought
that by wiping out all that has been done
and undone, the new commission, start
ing afrash. can arrive at speedy and
satisfactory settlement
The notice recommends that The
Hague be chosen as a meeting place
since each Power desires its own capital
as the choice. AS the Netherlands has
no interest in the Chinese troubles, and
as The Hague also was the scene OF the
Peace Congress OF twe years ago, II IS
believed that that capital viii be salts
factory 20 all concerned With CON-
mission of the representative men Of
each Power, the President and Secretary
Hay believe that the eXorbitant demands
made by Germany may be reduced ard
a reasonable indemnity decided upon in
each case. Pienipotentiaries with full
power to act could do more in one week,
II IS said than could the ministers IN
Pekin in a NORM
The State Department officials do not
believe that the recent notes sent out by
this Government have caused any unusual
feeling in London as the relations between
the two Governments are of such nature
as to make the exchange Of frank opinions
permissible.
Mr.. Takahira, the japanese Minister,
called at the State Department this morn
ing with reference TO the Chinese matter
but found all Of the officials away from
the city. He refused to discuss his busi-
ness.
1t is yet too early, officials say, to at
tempt forecast of the attitude of the
several Powers with reference TO the
proposition of the United States that
the Powers institute direct negotiations
among themselves to reach an agreement
for the settlement of the Chinese trou-
bIes, thus taking the matter out of the
hands of the foreign ministers at Pekin,
who have apparently become hopelessly
tangled in their effort to agree. So far
no formal response has been received
from any of the Powers and none is ex-
pected for several days, as the detailed
proposals of this Government, not yet
disclosed, viii require considerable con-
sideration by the several nations con-
cerned.
Il is inferred. however, from the guarded
comments made today that Russia will
surely acquiesce in the American plan and
tkere IS reason TO believe that in advance
of any information on the subject from St
Tl-f 6,-
expressed confidence that his Government
was in accord with the transfer of the ne
gojiations from the ministers at Pekin to
the Foreign Offices of the Powers OF to a
joint commission 10 meet at some Euro
pean capital OF in Washington. France. too,
las been with the United States and Rus
sia IN expressing disapprobation of the
course Of q majority OF the ministers at
Pekin and her acquieseence in the plan
proposed by this Government is to be ex-
pected-
OF the attitude of the other Powers
practically nothing is known, but in his
interview on Thursday with the German
Minister of Foreign Affairs with reference
to securing modification Of the renewed
German proposal that eleven Chinese dig
nitaries be executed as a preliminary to
formal peace negotiations, Ambassador
White received such assurances. which he
has communicated to the State Depart
ment, as to make it probable that tle
Kaiser's Government is willing to modify
the radical attitude which il has assumed
1t was on the basis of this information
from Mr.. White, that Secretary Hay was
able to tell the Cabinet yesterday that
there was brighter outlook for a settle
laent Of the Chinese troubles.