Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-08-29


WASHINGTON, August 2S.-After
the Cabinet meeting to-day it was an
nounced that the Government was in a
waiting attitude regarding the Chinese
situation. The lack Of late advices
from Pekin and the failure of the pow
ers to show their hands as to future
policy, makes it necessary for this Gov
eminent to await developments. The
Administration considers it of the
greatest Importance that in the nego-
tiations for settlement of the Chinese
difficulty all the powers should act in
unison and harmony, and its efforts are
being directed to that end. The pow
ers, however, seem slow TO declare
themselves. Several replies have been
received to the Instructions sent TO our
ambassadors and ministers last week
asking them to sound the governments
to which they are accredited on two
propositions: first, the willingness of
these governments to accept the suffi-
cheney of Lii Hung Chang's credentials
to treat with the powers for a settle
ment, and, second, to ascertain, if pos
sible, what the future policy Of each
power is to be. Regarding the latter
inquiry, the replies, thus far, have de-
veloped nothing The powers appear TO
be watching each other without def
mite or fixed purpose as yet to their
own. With regard 10 the first inquiry,
Great Britain and Russia are agreed
that Earl LIS credentials are sufficient.
Germany, however, takes a firm stand
against the suficiency of his creden-
| tials, and is the only power yet which
has returned a f1at-footed dissension.
| The attitude of the United States is
| that his credentials appear authentic.
| They were promulgated by what ap-
| pears to be a genuine imperial edict
| duly transmitted through the accred
| tied Chinese minister, Mr. WI, and the
United States is willing to accept them
| at their face value, at least for the pres
| en-. The Administration, from the ad-
vices 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 powers
| began war for the purpose of territor-
| ial ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, is not known. and
| the Administration is not disposed TO
cross the bridge until it reaches it, But
a member of the Cabinet stated to-day
| that if any of the European powers en-
| tered upon such a program, it prob
ably would be remembered by the
| United States that it had agreed to
the open door policy by which all
the powers are to be placed upon an
| equal footing, and that if territory
were acquired under the agreement we
would be entitled to the same privi-
leges in the matter of trade, etc, as
| the eonqueror
! The Presidnt and the Cabinet are as
much in the dark regarding the date
when the dispatches OF Minister Con-
ger and Gen. Chaffee left Pekin rs is
the general public. They find no expla-
nation for the fact that they have come
through without Picking dates. except
| that they evidently were sent by cour
Ter to Taku and that cablsgrams are
1 relayed Is times after leaving the lat
| ter point. They have been sent from
Taku with Picking date or they may
| have lost the date en- route. Internal
| evidence was found in late dispatches
| received from them that tended to dem
! onstrate thai some person or persons
had purpOsely delayed the messages
coming from Picking to Tlen Tsin, %
| Washington. IL IS also suspected TINT
| our messages nay have been injur-
! iously tempered with. The Cabinet
| came 70 the conclusion that II any Chi
nese persons have ineerfered with the
! dispatches the interference must have
! occurred on the wires between Che Foo
| and Shanghai, and il was determined
! 10 reopen direct communication by means
I of a war vessel. Either the New Or
! leans or the Princeton, now at Shang-
I hal will be sent at once to Che Foo
+. where the military cable system be-
! gins free from Chinese Interference.
The administration has nothing &c
| confirm aiarmist TGmors regarding The
/ situation al Peking. Admiral Remey
reports nothing disquietiIg and it Is
assumed thai II there was any prospect
/ of the allies being attacked and hem
! med in he would be in a position TO
( hear Of it and would promptly report
II TO Washington.
Tie Ca5lne, meeting lasted two hours
! and twenty minutes, the absentee5 De-
/ ing Secre-aTis Long, Wilson and Attor-
ney General Griggs.