The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1900-08-10
PEKING OPENS DOOR.
Foreign Ministers to Be Escorted
to Tientsin. r. :

An Imperial Edict Orders Thi. to BE
Done, AID ALSO Grants Them Per-
= mission to Communicate with
Their Governnents.
Paris, Aug. -Cheng, director gen.
eral of railway and 'telegraphs, has
just communicated to the consuls at
Shanghai, according, to special dis
patch to the Temps, dated August S,
an imperial decree, dated August 2,
authorizing the: foreign ministers in
Picking to communicate without re-
striction with their. governments and
ordering their departure for Tientsin
under a good escort. = ~
Thinks 1t Correct.
Cape May, n. j., Aug. 6.-Minister
WI said that the dispatch to the Paris
Temps stating an imperial decree was
issued under date of August 2 allow
ing the ministers in Picking free COM.
municatien with their home countries
was probably true, and was the result
of the memorial of the Chinese min
listers in all countries asking through
Ii Hung Chang and other viceroys for
this privilege. He, however, had no
official news confirming the issuance
of the edict.
WI May Have 1t.
Washington, Aug. 6.-There is good
reason to believe that the imperial
edict referred to has reached Minister
WI, who is with his family at. Cape
May. If so it will probably be deliv-
cred to the acting secretary of state
when the minister returns to Wash
ington to-day. At the Chinese lega-
ton here, however, there is no infor-
nation as to it's receipt.
Message from Conger.
Washington, Aug. GA belated
message from Ministry Conger was re-
ceived Sunday at the. state depart
ment. It came through Consul Gen
eral Goodnow,at Shanghai, who trans
mitted messages received by Mr.. Rags
dale, United States consul at Tien-
tsin, from Mr.. Conger and Mr.. squiers,
secretary of the United States lega-
ton at Picking. In effect the advices
are the same as those received a day
or two ago by the state department
from Consul Fowler, at Chefoo. Mr..
Goodnow's message was transmitted
to President Mckinley at Canton, and
Mr.. Adee, acting secretary of state,
later in the day, issued the following
statement concerning it:
Consul General Goodnow, in a cable
gram dated Shanghai, August S, which was
received at the department of state at four
o'clock this Sunday morning, reports the
receipt by Consul Ragsdale, at Tientsin, of
messages from Minister Conger and the
secretary Of the legation, Mr.. Squiers,
dated July q. to the following effect:
"'All we'll. No fighting since the six
teenth by agreement. Enough provisions.
Hope for speedy relief
Mr. Goodnow adds that the director of
posts Sheng. had, on the 5th, commune
Gated to him an imperial edict, dated July
w. ordering Jung Lu, to provide an escort
Tor the ministers to Tientsin, when the
ministers fix the date. The edict says the
ministers can receive messages not in
cipher; but notwithstanding this, plain
messages were returned to some consuls
on August L."
still Thought to BE Safe.
While the messages from Minister
Conger and Secretary Squiers bear
date OF July p, the belief, founded
not only. upon them, but also upon
collateral and later informat ton, is
that the legationers are yet safe from
at least immediate harm. At present
there is no means of knowing whether
the ministers will accept the offer of
the Chinese imperial government to
provide an escort for them to Tien-
!, tsin, but it is sarmised, they, will pre-
fer to remain within the British lega-
ton at Peki1g until the arrival Of the
allied forces. Should they leave for
Tientsin in all probability it would
be because they regarded it the safer
course to pursue. 1t is thought to be
not unlikely that the Chinese govern
ment may be very insistent upon the
departure of the ministers, in the
hope, if they can be gotten to Tien-
tsin in safety, the storming of Pekine
may be averted.
Statement by State Department.
Washington, Aug. 6-The state de-
partment Saturday morning issued
the following:
minister "u tnls morning handed to
the acting secretary of state a conv If
a telegram from the taota of SHANGHAI.
dated August 2, and received by Mr.. WI
on the evening of the 3d. 1t Confirms the
message of Yuan Shih-Kai, governor If
Shantung, to Mr.. Fowler, consul at che
foo purporting to communicate the same
telegram of July 30, from the tsunC-n
yamen, but it is to be noted that It con
tains passage omitted from Gov. Yuan's
message, namely, the announcement that
as fighting is going on in Tientsin. it is
inexpedient to send cipher kilograms to
the foreign ministers in Picking. In this
particular. the present telegram agrees
with Consul General Goodnow's report. re-
ceived yesterday, that Earl Ii Hung Chang
had. told the French consul at Shanghai.
on the Sd, that no messages would be de-
livered to the ministers because the for
e1gners were advancing on Picking,
1.-THE tsung-N-yamln's cable Of Julv ~
is as follows:
Foretgn ministers in Peking are all
safe and we'll. Recently vegetables. fruit
and provisions have been repeatedly sup
At present consultations are going on for
the protection Of various ministers going
to TO-, Ti tents Tor temporary shelter, which
as fighting is going on in Tientsin. it is
inexpedtent that cipher kilograms should
be sent. Different consuls have been noti-
n ttd 50 that they may inform their respec-
eign Office. Besides wiring to other min
'''e''' transmit :es x tP Gfb$ + } H9H
A Royal Wedding.
Belgrade, Aug. 6.-King Alexander
on Sunday welded Nine. Draga Mas
chin, the ceremony being performed
with great pomp. In honor of the