Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1900-08-23
Chinese SITUATION.
The Cabinet Is Giving Consideration
10 This MOmentOus Question.
Is NO GOVERNMENT.
A. the High officials Are In Flight
There l. No Government In
China and No Authority 10
Conduct Negotiations.

Washington. Aug. 22.--The cabinet .
session Tuesday practically opened con- I
ideration of the momentous questions
growing out Of the capture Of Pekin
and the war In China. Until Tuesdsy's
session the absorbing question has been
she safety Of Minister Conger and the
legatoners at Pekin. Now, however.
that has given place 20 problems Of
more intricate and farreachiug charnc-
ter, touching the very existence Of the
Chinese empire, and the part which tine
American government is 10 take IN the
reconstruction Of that country.
The meeting was devoted entirely 10
the Chinese situation. Secretaries Hay
and Root, who have ben most active in
directing affairs, were absent from the
city 10 that the attendance was compar-
atively small the president having with
him Secretaries Gage. Hitchcock and
Wilson and Postmaster General Smith.
Several questions were awaiting atten-
tion. First of these was the application
Of Ii Hung Chang for the appointment
of Minister Conger OF some other COM
missioner 70 negotiate for the cessation
of hostilities. The decision arrived
at was % reject the appeal and
reply Of this character will be sent to
Minister Wu 90 BE- forwarded 20 Ii Hung
Chang. The moving cause for this ac-
tion is that this government is at present
very much In the dark as TO whether
there is any existing government in
China. With the capital In the hands
Of the allies, the emperor and empress
dowager fugitiyes In hiding and the
entire governmental fabric paralyzed.
there Is no evidence OF an authority
adequate % conduct negotiations and
secure results which VIII be final and
binding.
Il was stated by members of the cabi-
net that the Chinese establishment, in-
stead Of being n government, appears %
b. an enormous headless affair without
knowledge Of what Is for It's best good
and without power to enforce is wishes.
With the recognized ruler In flight, no
one seems 20 know who, II anybody. d.
directing is affairs. as China is AN alb
solute monarchy, without Eny lcgisla
tive branch. the emperor and empress
dowaser are al powerful and practi
cally they are the empire Of China
Under the present rem arkable condition.
the United States will act with caution
IN whatever steps it may take toward
solution of the pending problems.
In the meantime there Is reason 10 b.
lieye that the United States and all th,
. powers interested will keep their armed
forces on the ground, so that order ma,
b. maintained and AZ least scmblanc'
Of stable government brought out Of th'
existing chaos.
The reply Of this government 10 tn
appeal Of the vicoruys Of Nankin ant
Human that no indiguities be- offered th'
empror aud empress dowager is a for
NAL acknowledgement Of the receipt o
the Communications that no indignit'
would be offered the persons Of theii
majesties. This reply is couched In tn
polite language Of diplomacy, but II /
understood tina, this does not In an,
way commit the government 20 refraii
from imposing ON the emperor and ON
press dowagor any penalty that subsc
quently might be decided upon In cas-
it Is proved that they were directly r.
sp0nshle for recent atrocities.