The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1900-09-07
WITHDRAWING FROM PEk|N
GO TO TIENTSIN.
other Powers May Do the Same-Ger-
many Sends Reply to Americana
Russian ProposaIs-suspicio of
EneIand-AIay Reject Plan.

w Actpl. L.-Iuc tHliIt COuISc
of negotiations ON the Chinese question
is now dependent upon the responses of the
powers to the Russo-American proposals.
1t was stated authoritatively at the close
of official hours Saturday that no answer
had been received from any source, other
than those of preliminary and inconclu-
sive character heretofore announced. More
over, it is stated by responsible administra-
ton officials that not until the answer is
received will the negotiations assume any
definite form, as the last answer may
prove to be the dissent from an interna-
tional accord toward which all efforts are
now being made.
Much interest was aroused by the dis
patch from st. Petersburg giving the full
text of the Russian proposal, as it cleared
up some discrepancies which had existed
owing to the oral nature of the commune
cation made to this government by the
Russian charge. By far the most import
ant admission it makes is in disclosing
that Russia has not ordered her minister
and troops to withdraw from China"
as was stated in the American paraphrase
of the proposal, but that she intends to
lCCdll DG NlclS anu Ills oidn W lltulolilS
whittier they will be accompanied by the
Russian troops In short, Russia has not
announced a purpose to withdraw from
China, but only to withdraw from Pekin.
As the negotiations progress the view is
strengthened among officials that the
Russo-AmeTican plan of Withdrawing from
Pekin ultimately would be concurTed in by
all of the powers. In diplomatic quarters
this outcome is looked upon as practically
assured. 1t is pointed out that if the Rus
sian, American and japanese troops are
withdrawn from Pekin the other powers
would not have 5000 men remaining there,
which would be force utterly inadequate
to garrison and defend the capital. The
British force now at Pekin is said to
number 5000, and the German force is
only few hundred. On the other hand,
the Russian and japanese contingents are
very large, and with their withdrawal
the main strength of the allies at Pekin
would be taken away. AS matter OF
necessity, therefore, it is held that the
withdrawal of the larger forces will COM
pei the smaller forces of Great Britain
and Germany to leave at the same time.
The brief answer which Germany al
ready has made to this government states,
that any general consideration OF the
proposition will be dependent upon in
quiries as to the condition of affairs at
Pekin. These inquiries are now in prog
Tess through the German officials at the
Chinese capital and their responses are
expected to form the basis of Germany's
general answer. Those in a position to
take an intelligent view of Germany's
course say there is little doubt of Ger
many's acceptance. One of the chief rea-
sons set forth for this course is that after
all the question of staying at Pekin is of
secondary character, and it is quite insig
nificant compared with the far-reaching
question of maintaining an accord among
those continental powers which thus far
have acted together, not only as to China,
but as to many other questions OF general
policy. In short, it is felt that Germanys
accord with Russia and other continental
nations is of primary importance, where
as the holding OF Pekin is of secondary
character, and in such circumstances the
primary condition will prevail. The course
of the British government is being await
ed with keen interest, not only for ats et-
feet upon the present question, but be-
cause of the part it will have in main
tanning the accord between the powers
There is a noticeable feeling among some
of the foreign representatives here that
Great Britain will decline to accept the
plan, and will thereby become isolated
from the rest of the powers In this con-
nection the present situation is being COM
pared to that at the close of the Japan
China war, when Russia, Germany and
France formed a triple alliance which
practically determined the results OF the
conflict. The issue at that time was as
to Japan's holding Chinese territory, par
ticularly the Liza Tung peninsula. Great
Britain declined to intervene, and to a
certain extent became isolated, while Rus
STA, Germany and France, by their united
action, made it imperative that the peace
settlement should be the basis of Japan
Eventually Withdrawing from the mainland
of Asia. 1t was remarked in a well-post-
ed diplomatic quarter that Great Britain's
hesitation at this time might bring about
a repetition of the Japan-China alliance,
in which event, the opinion was expressed,
British influence in the far east would be
shaken materially, if not entirely broken.
Every Wheel stopped.