The Portland daily press., 1900-07-23
Final Answer Has Thus Far Not
Been Given.
U. S. Proceeding on Different Lines Than
European Powers.

Washington, July 22.-President Nc
Kinley has received what purports to be
direct appeal from the Chinese Imperial
government to use his good offices to ex-
trlcate that government from the difficult
and dangerous position in which it has
been placed as result of the Boxer up
rising and the ensuing hostile attitude
of the great powers. Although the exact
text of the appeal made by the Emperor
OF China to France, as outlined in the
cable dispatches of yesterday, has not
been made known here it is believed
that the address to the President is SINH
lar in terms to that communication. In
our case the communication was made
through Minister WI to the state depart
ment. Thus far final answer has not
been returned. The French government
answered at once but the answer will not
serve US. The United States government
is conscientiously proceeding upon an
entirely different line of policy in the
treatment of the case. Unfortunately, the
state department finds itself alone in this,
but nevertheless, it is convinced that its
plan is the best and it has behind it the
consoling assurance that at present all of
the European governments have tactily
admitted that an error was made in the
beginning in not following the common
sense of the United States naval COM
mander at Taku, The point of differ
enee between the state department and
the European governments is that the lat
ter are proceeding upon the belief that all
of the foreign ministers and missionaries
and guards at Pekin have been killed and
insist upon dealing with the Chinese
government upon that basis, thereby as
suming a hostile attitude that tends to
destroy the last chance of availing of
whatever friendly sentiment may yet ex-
ist among the powerful Chinese viceroys
and the imperial government itself. Thus
the French reply indicated in the four
conditions laid down by M. Del Case
yesterday, sets an impossible task for the
Imperial government in its present straits
and tends to drive it at once to make
terms with the Boxers and Prince Tuan's
party.
Further proof of an official character of
the mistake made by foreign commanders
in the attack upon the Taku forts is con-
tanned in a communication just received
by the state department. from United
States Consul Fowler at Che Foo. He
has transmitted an imperial edict which
was supplied to him by telegraph by the
Chinese governor of Shan Tung, Yuan
Shih Kai, at Isl Nan, thu capital of that
province. 1t was issued on July II and
relates to the present hostilities between
China and the foreign powers. The des-
patch containing the edict came to the
state department. in such confused phrase
ology that it is impossible to do more that
approximately state it's sense. The edict
appears to state in the beginning that
owing to the trouble existing between the
Christians and the populace and to the
subsequent seizure of the Taku forts,
which aroused the military Ito arms, the
imperial court was laying great weight
upon it's international relations.
The ATanchu generals therefore, vice
roys and govern 0rs, are ordered to ascer-
tain whether the merchants and mission
aries of the various nations residing in
the open ports are being protected and the
assertion is made that projects and mag
istrates have been sent repeated imperial
edicts to protect the legations. Orders
also have been sent to the provincial au
thorites to protect missionaries. While
hostilities have not FFyet ceased the Chi
nese officials are directed to give protec-
ton to the merchants and others of the
various nations in accordance with the
treaties and must not fall to obey. The
edfot refers to the killing last month Of
the Japanese Chancellor Sugyama, which
it charactsrizes as startling. It says that
a short time>thereafter the German min
lister was murdered while residing IN the
capital, conducting international affairs.