The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-07-18
MORE HOPEFUL IN WAsHINGr TON.
The Cabinet Meets. No Extra Session of Con.
gress Justified by Facts.
(By the Associated Press.)


Washington, July IA decidedly more
hopeful feeling with regard to the Chi
nese situation was apparent in all Adj
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 the native city, and gathered further
strength from Minister Wu's cablegram
declaring that the foreign Ministers at
Pekin were safe July 9th. Aside from
these dispatches the arrival of the Presi-
dent 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 afternoon, less than
an hour after the President reached the
White House. Over "a hundred newspa-
per men thronged 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, Secretary 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 now known to us do not require
or justify calling an extra session of Con-
gress. Should future developments indi-
cate that he is unable to do what is re-
quired with the means now at his COM
mand and the action of Congress is neces-
sary to furnish either men or money OF
/ bo will hcCitafo tn ca11 il
together"
While only this meagre formal state
ment was given cut it was ascertained
that the whole Chinese situation was
thoroughly discussed by the Cabinet. The
decision that an extra session was not
demanded by existing conditions was the
outcome of the showing which both Secre-
tary Root and Secretary Long were able
TO make as to the force that can be
thrown into China without the authorize
| tion of additional troops by Congress, and
also the decidedly more hopeful feeling
| entertained by the President and the
members of his Cabinet as to the safety
| of Minister Conger and the other foreign
ers in Pekin, due to the cable of Minister
| WI, reporting the safety of the Minis
| ters. July 9th, two days after their re-
| ported massacre. While this cable is
not regarded as conclusive it is accepted
! in good faith for the present. But the
| Administration, it can be definitely
| ctated, has set in motion some machinery
| by which it is confidently predicted &bso-
| lutely authentic news as to the fate o.
our Minister and the other foreigners al
! Pekin will be ascertained. Through which
| channel the Administration expects to re-
| ceive this all-important news is not
known but that definite statement o
! the situation in Pekin is daily, if moi
hourly expected can be stated with the
utmost positveness. The advices re-
ceived from Pekin probably will be the
determining factor in blazing the future
course of this Government. If Minister
| Conger has been murdered an extra ses-
sion of Congress seems inevitable. Adj
miral Remey's message of the success
and hard fighting at Tien Tsn helped re-
! lieve the anxiety Of the President, and
his advisers, but Minister Wus message
| was responsible for the really hopeful
feeling that prevailed. Secretary Root
! furnished to the Cabinet a summary oi
the troops available, not only in this
country, but in Cuba, and gave it as his
opinion that between 10000 and $4,000
troops in all could be spared for service
in China. These reinforcements are tc