New-York tribune., 1900-08-01
MEANIyG OF THE NEWS FROM PEKING

MEANING Of THE NEWS FROM PEKING
The Ministers at Picking are still alive or at
least were alive ten days ago. and long after
the latest reported massacre. That is the first
significance of the news from China, which is
now generally accepted authentic beyond
reasonable doubt That is cause for gratitude
beyond the power OF language TO express. 1t
is likewise a scathing rebuke Of the sensation
mongers at Shanghai and in London who for
weeks have intermittenty been narrowing up
the nerves of the world with tales OF butchery
and nameless horror. tales which we now know
TO have been utterly without foundation save
3n some "pipe dream or in the Unsuitable and
unscrupulous desire Of two irresponsible sheets
70 "score beats upon each other Scarcely
less is it rebuie Of the Judgment of those
who. in this country or elsewhere have given
credit TO such fantastic tales, and in conse-
quence have believed the Ministers to be dead
and China therefore a fit object Of international
vengeance. In the light Of these latest dis
patches how contemptby unconvincing do
those tales Of boiling in oil appear! 1t is seen
now, as the truly judicious all the time.
that while they might be true, as anything
might 10 such a time of mystery. there was
not the slightest evidence that they were In
the darkest hour of doubt there was at least as
good reason for hope as for despair. We may
be pardoned il, in this time of full assurance
we feel a certain qualification in that The
Tribune never gave credit TO the reports of
massacre and never failed to hope for news of
the safety Of the Ministers and for their ulti-
mate rescue
A fine vndcation Of the Judgment and policy
OF the Government at Washington is also ap-
parent IN the news. For some time all Europe
has been regarding with thinly veiled amuse
ment, amazement and contempt the creduIity
of the State Department, which continued to
believe In the safety Of the legations We shall
henceforth hear less of that. 1t will probably
he conceded now that Americans have lucid
intervals. IL is true tho much discussed Conger
message is by no means vindcated. Indeed
there are features of the present news which
seem TO strengthen the doubt Of it's authenticity
which expressed in these columns at the
outset That however is a mere detail If in
the end ii must be conceded that the dispatch
was a forgery or a delayed message and that
this Government erred in accepting II as gen
uine. the broad general fact remains that this
Government was right IN its policy of believing
the Ministers 10 be alive and Of acting in ac-
cOrdance with that belief in working for their
relief and rescue. They are still alive; let MS
hasten to rescue Them has been the American
cry day by day. to which Europe has responded
''They are all dead: il is too late so there is
no need Of hurrying." or else, They are dead
there is nothing left but revenge" The judg-
ment Of the latest news between those two
attitudes is sufficiently conclusive
And as 10 the future? Our Washington cor
respondent gave US yesterday a notably COM
prehensive and lucid exposition of the situation
as ii is understood 10y those whose information
and Judgment are best There is a strange
diplomatic deadlock between China and the
Powers, which the astute Ii Hung Chang is
assiduOusly endeavOring to solve. We might
almost describe him as being between the
upper and neither millstones. On the one hand
The Powers are exerting all possible pressure
for the opening Of communication with their