The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-07-25
SUMMING UP THE
PRESENT SITUATION
How 1t Now Appears at the
State Department.

Washington, July Zz-fres1dehs
NICK Kinley has received what pur-
ports to be direct appeal from the
Chinese imperial government to use
his good Offices to extricate that gov
ernment from the difficult and dan
gerous position in which it has been
placed as a result of the Boxer up
rising aud the ensuing hostile atti-
tude of the great powers. Although
the exact text of the appeal made by
the empero, of China to France, as
outlined in the cable dispatches of
yesterday, has not been made known
here, tits believed that the address
to the president is similar in terms to
that communication. In our case
the communication was made through
Minister WI to the state department.
Thus far q final answer has not been
returned. The French government
answered at once, but tha: answer
will not serve US. The United States
government is conscientiously pro,
ceeding upon an entirely different
line Of policy in the treatment of the
case. Unfortunately. the state de-
partment finds itself alone in this,
but nevertheless it is convinced that
its plan is the best, and it has behind
it the cousoling assurance that at
present all the European govern
ments have tacitly admitted an error
was made in the beginning in not
following the common sense advice
of the United States naval commander
at Taku.
The point of difference between
the state department and the Euro
pean governments is that the latter
are proceeding upon the belief that
all of the foreign ministers and mis-.
sionaries and guards at Pekin have
been killed and insist upon dealing
with the Chinese government upon
that basis, thereby assuming hostile
attitude that tends to destroy the last
chance of availing of whatever
friendly sentiment may yet exist
among the powerful Chinese vice
roys and the imperial government
Itself Thus the French reply, as in
dicated in the four condition, laid
down by NJ Delcasse yesterday, sets
IN impossible task for the imperial
government in it's present straits and
tends to drive it at once to make
terms with the Boxers and Prince
Tuan's party.
On the other hand our government,
while not guaranteeing the truth OF
the advices from the Chinese govern
ment as to the safety of the foreign
ministers, is willing to accept the
statements temporarily, in the mean
time RENTING none of it's efforts to
get access to Mr. Conger through the
use of military force if need be. By
following out this policy the stete
department argues that it retains two
chances instead of one 1t may
reach Mr. Conger with troops and it
also may secure his deliveEapce
through the friendly Offices of some
Of the powerful Chinese officials
which the powers are not likely to
obtain for their own people by follow
ino ont their present policy.
It may be stated also that the
United States government has not
relinquished any part of it's claim for
compensation and reparation in the
ultimate settlement Its position in
that respect. it holds, will not be
affected unfavorably by prosecuting
its efforts to make use of the friendly
sentiments of the Chinese officials.
A particularly deplorable effect of the
reasoning of the European govern
nents on this point, in the es
timation of our government
is the abandonment of the idea
that there is particular need for haste
and for taking even desperate
chances in the effor. to get the inter
national relief column through to
Pekin.
1t is true that the latest advices
from Taku indicate that whereas it
was originally estimated by the for
eign commanders that the expeditio n
could not be started before August
Is, it is now regarded by them
as possible to make a beginning
about the first of August. But the
military experts here who have been
closely scanning ali the reports from
Tien Tsin that.appear to be worthy OF
credit, feel that even now the way ls
open to PekiD and that the march
should begin with the force at present
on the PIE Ho, leaving the powers to
bring up reenforcements to reopen
the base should the first expedltien be
cat off According to the latest
Official reports the country around