The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-09-09
IT'LL GO TO PHILIPPINES
DECISION NOT FINAL, BUT FORCES
TO BE PLACED IN POSITION 4
TO MOVE
CHINESE WILL NEGOTIATE
Impress DOwager and Court Would
Return at once to PeEdn Upon !
Proper Assurances
From Powers.

WASHINGTON, Sept. S.-Orders have
been cabled to Gen. Chafree to prepare
his forces for withdrawal from Pekn,
Further than that the war department.
has taken steps to have at Taku suc-
hcient number Of United States trans4
ports to remove these troops to the PhiI-
tppines as soon as they reach the port,
These orders are preparatory and do noe
necessarily indicate that our govern
ment has decided finally upon an imme-
date withdrawal from China It Is SIM
ply placing itself in position to carry
out the plan conveyed In the reply to
the Russian note in this language:
1.-The result of these considerations is
that unless there is such general exc
preston by the powers In favor of con.
tinued occupation as to modify the views
expressed by the government of Russia
and lead to general demand for contin-
ued occupation, we shall give Instructions
to the American forces in China to with@
darw our troops from Pektn after con-
ference with the other commanders
as to the time and manner Of With
drawal'
Up to the present time our government
has not changed its policy In this matter
of Withdrawing troops. 1t has given the
subject much consideration since the
original note was written, but at all times
there has been kept steadily in mind the
propriety of removing the American
troops from China as soon as this could
be done consistently. 1t is intimated that
the prospect of completing these arrange+
ments through perfect unanimity among
the powers is Frightening daily. 1t is
said that there is a probability of har~
monious settlement, though Russian and
German designs form the principal SUBJ
ject of diplomatic negotiations.
WILLING TO BE GOOD.
There is the best reason to believe that
were the Chinese government once as
sured of the personal safety of Its mems
! bers, were It relieved of a fear of dis
! rnenberInent of China and the menace Of
a large foreign force In the capital, tho
imperial court, including the emperor and
empress dowager, would lose no time in
returning to Pekin and opening negotia.
tons for settlement Hence the sug-
gestion has been thrown out that the all
lied forces in Pekin be reduced to q
number sufficient to ensure the immediate
safety Of the legations, while the remain
ing forces retire beyond the walled city,
perhaps to Tien Tsin, and If the progress
Of the negotiations seem to wall CT y
| perhaps be withdrawn altogether from
! Chinese soil. There are only two OBJ
! stacles to the execution of this plan. One
| is the difficulty of framing suitable guar
antees for the continuance to a satisfac-
| tory conclusion of the negotiations for the
! final settlement.
The other is the uncompromising atti-
| tude Of one of the powers, it Is now be-
lieved that the difficulty as to guarantees
can be satisfactorily adjusted. The other
| obstacle may be overcome by a, threat
ened isolation of the refractory power;
| for it is believed that no one power would
care to pursue a war upon China VIII q
| the other powers had deliberately ex-
pressed their Judgment that further hos-
| tiiities were unwarranted. Beside, hos-
| Titles under such conditions tending 20
| injure the interests of the other powers
/ in China, might be regarded by them as
authorizing joint demand upon tie
single power for guarantees which W uld
/ be very difficult to meet
| NEED FOR HARMONY.
For this reason it is hoped that tha
powers can be brought to act in hahn my
| In the matter Of the evacuation Of Pekin
! and it is entirely possible, If this pan
| is executed, that ali of the American
| troops, save a small number left to guard
| the legation at Pekin can be wi hid avn
! from China before winter sets In 1t wi ]
! not be necessary, to delay evacuation
! until negotiations are complete. Even
now our government for one is proposing
to begin them upon the appearance OF a
properly accredited Chinese govefnm mt.
| Of course, it is improbable that ali tie
other powers interested will take the
same view of these proposals and this
government is devodng its entire eff 5rts
at this moment toward securing harm oay
of action to this end and to hastenii G
the initiation of the final negotiations.
| Special Commissioner Rockhilf has left
| Shanghai for Pekin A report by cable
| from him dated yesterday, indicated that
he had begun the discharge of his duties
as a special observer OF the present CHI.
nese disturbances. Reports were a so E.
ceived today from Consul General Good
now at Shanghai, and Consul Fow er at
Che Foo. both dealing with the cond. ton
| Of the missionaries.