Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1900-07-27
feasible. He adduced no new facts 1o
DON'T Believe 1t.

| feasible. He adduced no new facts 10
prove his assertions. The interview
closed without result.
Don't Believe 1t.
Despite the Chinese minister's state
ments and despite Sir Claude Mac
Donald's letter of July A, strong i'm
preston continues to prevail at the for
eign office that the ministers at Peking
were massacred July 6. The CORE
| spondent is informed that not one scin-
tilla of evidence is yet ia the possession
| of the foreign office leading them to
! disbelieve the reports of the murders.
Sir Claude MacDonald's letter. with its
account of severe fighting in progress.
merely confirms the governments fore
| bodings.
| Discuss Future Action.
Consultations are in progress be-
| tween cabinet ministers and officials
as to the course to be pursued should
the ministers prove to be alive. The
contingency of China holding them as
hostages is uppermost in the minds of
all, although the correspondent is Off
| cially informed that the Chinese dipio-
mats have not yet limited at such ac-
ton.
Negotiations between the powers
have brought out mutual assurances
that the military expressions TO China
are for the sole purpose Of relieving
the legations, and that there is no in
| tention to partition China. Hence,
should China agree to deliver the min
listers alive, no power will have rea-
son for continuing aggressive military
operations except Germany, whose
minister is undoubtedly dead, and even
| Germany, to quote high British Off
cial. will have to forego the emperor's
assertion that he would not stop till
the German flag foated over Peking."
Attitude of the Powers.
AS for the other powers, it is en-
phatically stated that they have unan-
imously agreed that with the safe de-
livery of the ministers the aggressive
campaign will end. All rumors of an
/ international agreement regarding the
future of China subsequent to the re-
turn of the ministers are false. The
agreement is purely negative and based
upon the lines stated by Secretary
Hay, of which the independence and
integrity of the Chinese empire are
essential features. If the imperial
edict proves true, the powers, while
holding their forces in readiness to
enforce demands, will accept pecu-
mary indemnity. No territorial prop
ositions will be considered. In COM
mon with other powers, Germany
! must, through arbitration or other
wise, gauge the damages by the loss
of the life of her minister by pecu-
mary standard. The same rule will
apply as to the loss of other lives and
destruction of property.
May BE Sent to Tientsin.
At the Chinese legation the CORE
spondent was informed that no
further news from China had been re-
peived to-day and that it was expected
that the ministers would soon be sent
to Tientsin. Secretary Lew expressed
unstinted praise of the attitude of the
United States secretary Of state. Col
Hay has declared his implicit belief
that the ministers were safe. He said
the negotiations with the powers on
behalf of China had all been intrusted
to the Chinese minister at Washing
ton, WI Ting Fang. Secretary Lew
protested utter ignorance of their
! progress. 1t may with safety be
/, stated that should the ministers prove
| to be alive the Chinese government
will to. ssr1e extent use them as q