The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-09-12

REPLY WAS IOE- -gONMITTAL
WASHINGTON AUTHORITIES NOT
READY TO ANSWER DEFI-
NITELY AT HIS TIME
CoNGER's OPINION WANTED
United states Not Disposed to Hurry
Matters Until European Pow
ers Have Expressed
Thense.ves

WASHINGTON, Sept. 1.-THE state de-
partment this afternoon issued the follow
ing:
The following communication was
handed to Acting Secretary of State al
on Sept. 10 By the Chinese minister:
Cablegram from Ii Hung Chang dated
Sept. f,=1t0o, translates by the Chinese
minister at st. Petersburg under date
of Sept. 8, and received by Minister WI
on the last named date:
IT am in receipt of an imperial edict
Of the Soth day of the 7th month, Aug. 2.
19OO translated by Paoting Flu. 1t is as
follows:
. Ii Hung Chang, envoy plenipotenti-
sry, is hereby vested with full discre-
tional power and he shall promptly deal
with whatever questions may require at
tention. From this distance we will not
control his actions. Let this ed'ct be for
warded with extra expedition, at the rate
of 500 Ii per day Cto Earl LID for his in
formation and guidance. Respect this -
To the following eonlmunica ton Acting
| Secretary Hill has handed Mr.. WI the
following reply:
''The United States does not feel called
upon to express any opinion at this time
as to the sufficiency of Lii Hung Changs
authority, but hopes 1t will transpire that
| his credentials are 1ull and authoritative
not only for negotiation, but to enable
him without further d, lay to give assur-
ance that the life and property of Ameri-
cans viii heneeforth be respected
throughout the Chinese empire
STATE DEPARTMENT WAITING.
From the formal statement given out
today it appears that the state depart
ment is not yet ready to begin direct ne
, gotiations withsLf Hung Chang It does
not question his credentials as a pleni-
potentiary, but simply leaves the matter
in abeyance. Probably. this. is because all
of the powers have not yet returned their
responses to the Russian note, and it is
desired to avoid making the United States
the first among the powers to abandon the
hope Of harmonious action and strike for
itself toward the settlement directly with
China. Also it may be deemed well to
wait to hear from Mr.. Conger who sew
eral days ago was invited to express his
opinion about quitting. Pezin. Minister
WI was twice at the state department
today. 1t was understood that his first
call was, Ia part, at least, to secure trans
portation for Ii Hung Chang from Shang-
hal to Taku on a United States vessel
His latter call was to receive the answer
of the department to that application, as
well as to the communication, respecting
Ii Hung Changs functions. The answer
returned by the state department to the
latter communication apparently made it
unnecessary to pursue the inquiry as to
the ship. If Earl Ii may not enter into
negotiations at present there is no oc-
castor to transport him to Taku.
The navy department has been in
formed of the arrival of the battleshfp
Oregon at Woo-Sung. The department
was also advised of the arrival at Shang-
hal from Che Foo of the gunboat Nash
vile. Woo-Sung is the port of Shanghai,
and here the Oregon will remain, as her
draft will not permit of her going to
Shanghai.
TIEN TSIN, Sept. 3 (via Nagasaki, ia
pan, Sept. 1g.-General Thomas H. Barry
is here en- route to Manila. Gen. James
H Wilson has arrived.