The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-08-22
TROOPS TO REMAIN IN CHINAAT PRESENT
In the Present Chaotic State of Affairs They
Are Needed to Help Preserve Order.
CabIegram From Conger Says
All Are Well.
(By the Associated Press.)


ty of Minister Conger and the legationers
at Pekin. Now. however that has given
place to problems of a more intricate and
far reaching character, touching the very
existence OF the Chinese Empire and the
part which the American Government is
to take in the reconstruction of that
country.
The meeting today was devoted entire
ly to the Chinese situation. Secretaries
Hay and Root. who have been most ac
tive in directing affairs, were absent from
the city. SO that the attendance compar-
atively was small. the President having
with him Secretaries Gage, Hitchcock and
Wilson and Postmaster General Charles
Emory Smith. Several questions were
awaiting attention. First of these was
the application of Ii Hung Chang for the
appointment of Minister Conger or some
other commissioner to negotiate for the
cessation of hostilites. The decision ar
rived at was to reject the appeal, and
reply of this character will be sent to
Minister WI to be forwarded to Ii Hung
Chang. The moving cause for this action
is that this Government is at present very
much in the dark as to whether there is
any existing Government in China. With
the capital in the hands of the allies, the
Emperor and Empress Dowager fugitives
in hiding, and the entire governmental
fabric paralyZed, there is no evidence
of an authority adequate to conduct ne
gotiations and secure results which will
be final and binding.
1t was stated by members of the Cab
met that the Chinese establishment, in
cfo IF hpin n
be an enormous. headless affair without
the knowledge of what is for its best good
and without power to enforce its wishes.
With the recognized rulers in flight no one
seems to know who if anybody, is direct
ing its affairs AS China is an absolute
monarchy, without any legislative
branch the Emperor and Empress Dowa-
ger are all powerful, and practically they
are the empire of China. Under the pres
ent remarkable conditions. the United
States will act with extra caution in what
ever steps it may take toward a solution
of the pending problems. In the mean
time. there is reason to believe that the
United States and all the other powers
interested will keep their armd forces
on the ground. so that order may be main
tanned and, at least semblance of sta
ing chaos
The reply OF this Government to the
appeal of the Viceroys of Nang and Human
that no indgnities be offered the Emperor
and Empress Dowager is a formal ac-
knowledgement of the receipt of the COM
munication with a satisfactory assurance
that no indignities would be offered to
the persons of Their Majesties. This re-
1n6 IN hn TO 10 n
diplomacy, but it is understood that it
does not in any way commit the Govern
ment to refrain imposing on the Emperor
and Empress Dowager any penalty that
subsequently might be decided upon in
case it is proved that they were directly
responsible for the recent atrocities. This
question of fixing responsibility where it
belongs and imposing any punishment that
NAV be deemed fitting has not received
formal decision as yet The answer with
which the two Viceroys' appeal is met ac-
cordingly is a diplomatic assurance thai
the rights of the Emperor and Empress
Dowager will be protected, but does not
impose any barrier to a proper punish
ment. such as may be sanctioned by civil
lied usage, for any offense which hereaf-
fer may be held to call for an accounting.
This is the Interpretation given the re-
ply by a Cabinet official tonight. The
question of responsibility will have to be
worked out slowly.
The Cabinet had before it message
from Minister Conger received last night.
After the meeting the State Department
made public portions of the dispatch as
follows:
United States Legation, Pekin (undat-
ed, via Che Foo, August 20: Secre-
tary State, Washington:
Saved Relief arrived today. Enter
ed city with little trouble. Do not yet
know where Imperial family is. Except
deaths already reported all Americans
alive and we'll. Desperate efforts made
last night to exterminate us. Mitchell
American soldier and a Russian and
Japanese wounded, German killed. Ad-
wise Woodward, Chicago; Conger, Des
Moines; Sims, Council Bluffs, Conger
Pasadena, Porter, Paris.
"CONGER,
f'By FOWLER, Che Foo"
1t will be observed. that the portions
given out are extracts from Minister
Conger's message. 1t was stated that
these portions cover such features as
the Government desires to make public
at this time. The entire message was
before the Cabinet and the portion not
given out doubtless refers to questions
of policy and to Chinese internal affairs
upon which the Minister speaks as the
adviser of the Government rather than
as the medium of communicating actual
occurrences.
1t had been hoped that Minister Con-
gers advices, as well as those from Cen
eral Chaffee, would be ample by this
time, in order to afford the Washing
ton officials full opportunity to deal with
the perplexing questions raised by the
Chinese disturbances. General Chaffee