Daily Kennebec journal., 1900-07-25
WAITING ATTITUDE.
Our Good Offices offered, Now
China Must Act.
In Any Case Answer Must Bring Word
from the Ministers.
London Still Emphatic in The Belief That Min.
listers Are Dead.

Washington, July 24.-Thc state de-
partment is again in a waiting attitude
regarding China. 1t has frankly,
promptly ana fully answered the Chin
lese Emperor's appeal for mediation and
the correspondence given pubicity, to-
day, makes it appear that the next
move is for the Chinese government.
1t is expected to accept or reject our
terms at once and in either case the
answer must convey tidings of the
state of affairs at Pekin and the well
fare of the legatiOners.
The belief is not concealed here that
the chances for successful mediation
are slight. Mediation cannot be forced
upon party to a cause; it must be
acceptable to all parties. If the United
States is to mediate in China's inter-
ests she must first secure the assent
of all the powers who have suffered in
life ana property at Pekin. The diff
ficulties in the way of such an under
taking are likely to be many and seri-
Gus in view Of the exhibition of feeling
in Europe.
But it is said here that the United
states Will chcerfully undertake the
task provided its conditions are met
II 1t does not succeed in inducing the
European powers to be lenient in their
treatment Of the imperial government
Of China the United States government
will not be drawn into further hostili-
ties after we have taken care Of our
own affairs, but We will withdraw,
taking care, however to let it be under
stood that this government will not al
injured by the action Of any of the
powers that may choose to remain OBJ
durate
At least one of the greatest of the
powers is under strong suspicion here
of acting cold bloodedly and without
regard to sentiment or anything more
than the most matrial Of considera- :
tions. II is believed here that this pow
er is quietly taking measures to drop
out Of the league at Tien Tsin and con-
duct a campaign on it's own account
against Pekin and it is even suspected
that this power is already moving
troops toward the Chinese capital
one fact regarded as now beyond
need Of further demonstration in view
| of the Chinese appeal. is that the Chin
csc officials at the coast ports are actu-
ally in communication with whatever
remains of the imperial government at
Pekin and the text of Kwang Su's APP
the Chinese government itself is
Isancti0ning the resistance to the inter-
national advance upon Pekin.
The state department and the Chinese
legation substantially agree in the es-
innate Of six TO eight days as the time
necessary to get a reply to the Presi-
dents answer to the appeal of the
Chinese government. According to the
best information here urgent messages
are being transmitted between Pekin
and Shanghai by the flying express''
mentioned in Consul Fowler's cable
gram few days ago. This. according
10 the Chinese. is relay system of
mounted messengers similar to the old
opny service across the plains and is
used when the wire communication is;
interrupted. The relay riders make
about 200 miles a day. 1t is 400 miles
from Shanghai to Pekin and this seems
To agree very well with the speed made
in forwarding and returning the Conger
message
a movement was on foot on the 18th
inst, to get the foreign ministers
started from Pekin to Tien Tsin under
escort of imperial troops. the state de-
partment would not be surprised to
get definite news of them from the
headquarters of the allied forces in a
short time. The distance from Tien
Tsin to Pekin is IS miles and at this
season the trip is usually made by road
from Pekin to Tong Choo. q point Of
the Pei Ho. u miles below the capital
and the remainder of the way by boat.
This trip now would take four days.
suposing the escort Of imperial troops
met with no resistance from the in
surgentS. If the move from Pckin was
made within two days after Sheng's
information was received it would be
possible that the legationers and their
escort are now in touch with the head
quarters of the allies. always suppos-
ing that nothing serious happened to
the party on the road.
A.