The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-08-29

matter of interest. in these three calls 10
repair to the White House late in the
afternoon to confer with the President. 1t
is quite certain that our Government IS
willing and anxious to do all 1t can 10
bring about speedy settling OF the
Chinese difficulty and a retirement OF
the forces. But it is determined that no
proper advantage is to be lost through
this wish and the Government will not he
coerced by foreign combinations or
threats of combination against our in
terests. One of the officials of the Gov
ernment today stated that the United
States is not going to turn tail and 1un
because some of the powers show dis
position to break a compact, under which
we became allies in China. The powers
accepted the note of Secretary Hay, of
July 3rd, as a basis for joint action and
they will be held to that 9greemsrt. The
question of actual force in China is see
ondary--one regiment of United States
troops is as good as one hundred thous-
and men to establish principle, and an
ndignity offered to them would be re-
sented as quickly as if we had 100000
men on Chinese soil, and the United
States Government is willing to try tie
case as to whether one thing could be
said on July 3rd and accepted by all the
powers, and changed two months later
to advance a selfish interest
Notwithstanding this firm attitude on
the part of the Government, there is not
the least doubt that friction between the
powers will be averted and that the re-
sources of diplomacy will be fully equal
to the needs of the present case though
the powers are slow to announce their
views as to the future policy to be pur-
sued in China. The Administration con-
siders it of the greatest Importance that
in the negotiations for settlement of
the Chinese difficulty all the powers
should act in unison and harmony and
it's efforts are being directed to that
end. Several replies have been received
to the instructions sent to our Ambas-
sadors and Ministers last week asking
them to sound the Governments to which
they are accredited on two propositions,
first, the willingness of those Govern
ments to accept the suficiency of Ii
Hung Changs credentials to treat with
the powers for a settlement and second,
TO ascertain if possible what the future
policy of each power is to be. Regard
ing the latter inquiry the replies. thus
far, have developed nothing. The powers
appear to be watching each other with
out definite or fixed purpose as yet of
their own. With regard to the first in
quiry England and Russia are agreed
that Earl Lis credentials are sufficient.
Germany, however, takes firm stand
against the suffciency of his credentials
and is the only power, as yet, which has
returned a flat-footed dissension. The
attitude of the United States is that his
credentials appear authentic. They were
promulgated by what appeared to be a
genuine imperial edict, duly transmitted
through the accredited Chinese Minister,
Mr.. WI, and the United States is willing
to accept them at their face value-at
least for the present The Admnistra-
tion, from the advices it has received
does not credit the rumors that Russia
Japan and Germany intend to declare
war against China, and it is willing to
accept all disclaimers OF Interior purposes
on the part of the powers. Just what
would be done in case some of the pow
ers inaugurated war for the purpose OF
territorial ACKNOWLEDGEMENT is not known,
and the Administration is not disposed to
cross that bridge until it reaches it.
But a member of the Cabinet stated to-
day that if any of the European powers
entered upon such a program it probably
would be reminded by the United States
that it had agreed to the "open door
policy in which all the powers are placed
on an equal footing and that if territory
were acquired under the agreement we
would be entitled to the same privilege
in the matter of trade, ETC., as the con-
cueror.
Publicity was given to the following
cablegram received by the War Depart
ment Yesterday:
''Taku, China, (no date).
"Adjutant General, Washington.
Have offered assistance to Baroness
Won Ketteler; will furnish transportation
to Nagasaki also.
(Signed) "CHAFFEE."
Baroness Won Ketteler, the widow of
the murdered German Minister to China,
is an American, being the daughter of
President Ledyard of the Michigan Cen
trail Railroad, whose home is at Detroit,
Mich
This telegram which was called forth by
an inquiry from Washington on the 18th,
taken in connection with the press re-
port of the arrival of Miss Mary Condit-
Smith at Tien Tsin in safety ON the 25th,
leads to the hope that the Baroness is
with the little party of rescued Ameri-
cans at Tien Tsin
Inquiry at the State Department as to
the personality of the persons named in
the press dispatch among the refugees
show that besides Miss Condit-Smith, who
is the sister-in- law of Governor General
Leonard Wood, of Cuba. there is Miss
Payne, a resident of Milwaukee, Wis,
and Mrs. and Miss Woodward, of Chicago,
mother and daughter.
Adjutant General Corbin received dis
patch from General Chaffee saying that
he (Chaffee) had received no dispatches
from General Corbin since August 14th.
This was tire date on which the allied
army attacked and entered Pekin. Many
dispatches have been sent by General
Corbin since that date and the delay is
their delivery is astonishing even with
the strange conditions which have ex-
listed in China. Like the Conger dis
patches the one from General Chaffee is
undated.
PREPARING FOR A LONG STAY.
ChafEee Preparing to Maintain $4,000 Men