The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-07-18
HOPE FOR THOSE IN PEK|NG
CHINESE MINISTER WI RECEIVES
A CABLEGRAM ANNOUNCING
THE GOOD NEWS
LEGATIONS SAFE ON JULY 9
Cabinet Discusses the Crisis, and
Prepares for the Possible Call,
to Arms of American
Troops.

WASHINGTON, July IA decidedly
mere hopeful fleeing with regard to the
Chinese situation was apparent in all ad-
ministration circles this evening. The
tide of sentiment, which has been mark
edly pessimistic, turned with the an
nouncement of the victory of the allies
at Tien Tsin and the capture Of the forts
and native city, and gathered further
strength from Minister Wu's cablegram
declaring that the foreign ministers at
Peking were safe July 9.
Aside from these dispatches, the arrival
of the president and the special cabinet
meeting called to consider the situation
were the features of the day.
The cabinet met at 2:30 o'clock this af-
ternoon, less than an hour after the pres
ident had arrived at the White House
Hundreds Of newspaper reporters throng-
ed the corridors while the cabinet was
sitting behind closed doors. The scene
resembled the hottest days of the Spanish
war. There were present Secretary Hay,
Secretary Root, Secretary Long, Secre-
tary Gage and Postmaster General Smith
AT the conclusion of the session, which
lasted two and one-half hours, Secretary
Root gave out the following formal state
ment of the action of the cabinet:
"The president has determined that the
facts not known to us do not require or
justify calling an extra session of con-
gress. Should future developments in
dicate that he is unable to do what is
required with the means now at his COM
mand, and the action of congress is re-
quired to furnish either men or money,
or authority, he will not hesitate to call
1t together"
ALL POINTS CONSIDERED.
While only this meager formal state
ment was given out, it was ascertatned
that the whole Chinese situation was
thoroughly discussed by the cabinet. The
decision that an extra session of con-
gress- was not demanded by existing con-
ditions was the outcome of the showing
which both Secretary Root and Secre-
tary Long were able to make as to the
force that can be thrown into China
without the authorization of additional
troops by congress, and also the decidedly
more hopeful feeling entertained by the
president and the members of his cabi-
net as to the safety of Minister Conger
dI1Q l1lO Oi1C1- 1OISI5 IISIS III ShluS, uuc
to the cable of Minister WI reporting
the safety of the ministers July 9, two
days after their reported massacre.
While this cable is not regarded as con-
elusive, it is accepted in good faith for
the present
But the administration, it can be def
nitely stated has set in motion some ma
chinery by which 1t is confidently pre-
dicted absolutely authentic news as to
the fate of our minister and other for
eigners at Peking will be ascertained.
The advices received from Peking, prob
| ably, will be the determining factor In
blazing the future course of this govern
ment. If Minister Conger has been muir
dered, ali extra session of congress seems
inevitable.
Admiral Remey's message of the sue
cess following the earlier hard fighting
at Tien Tsin helped to relieve the anx-
iety of the president and his advisers,
but Minister Wu's message was respon-
sible for the really hopeful feeling that
prevailed.