President McKinley on his farm near Minerva, O.-On the left is his farm manager, Jack Adams, and on the right are Colonel Myron Herrick and son, Secretary Cortelyou, and Dr. Rixey.

CHAPTER XIII

MASTERLY DIPLOMACY IN INTERNATIONAL

AFFAIRS

The President's conduct of the war with Spain was a splendid achievement. It shed new luster on our arms and our diplomacy. It carried the country to a glorious victory unmarred by a defeat, and unsullied by an unworthy act. It raised the United States in the estimation of the world, removed the last barrier between North and South, and opened the way to new triumphs in the walks of peace.

LEADING THE POWERS IN CHINA. Following the struggle in Cuba and on the high seas East and West came the embarrassing problems arising from the. Boxer troubles in China. Here again President McKinley took a stand on high ground and gave the world a fine example of American sincerity and fairness. He insisted that China should not be torn to pieces by the contending allies, and that her markets should remain open to all the world on equal terms.

He urged a policy of mercy when other nations demanded blood and revenge and impossible millions of money for reimbursement. Concerning this policy, in his last annual message to Congress, President McKinley said:

"The policy of the United States through all this trying period was clearly announced and scrupulously

carried out. A circular note to the powers, dated July 3, proclaimed our attitude. Treating the condition in the north as one of virtual anarchy, in which the great provinces of the south and southeast had no share, we regarded the local authorities in the latter quarters as representing the Chinese people with whom we sought to remain in peace and friendship.

"Our declared aims involved no war against the Chinese nation. We adhered to the legitimate office of rescuing the imperiled legation, obtaining redress for wrongs already suffered, securing wherever possible the safety of American life and property in China and preventing a spread of the disorders or their recur

rence.

"As was then said: "The policy of the government of the United States is to seek a solution which may bring about permanent safety and peace to China, preserve Chinese territorial and administrative entity, protect all rights guaranteed to friendly powers by treaty and international law and safeguard for the world the principle of equal and impartial trade with all parts of the Chinese empire.'

"Faithful to those professions which, as it proved, reflected the views and purposes of the other co-operating governments, all our efforts have been directed toward ending the anomalous situation in China by negotiations for a settlement at the earliest possible moment. As soon as the sacred duty of relieving our legation and its dependents was accomplished we withdrew from active hostilities, leaving our legation under an adequate guard in Pekin as a channel of negotiation. and settlement-a course adopted by others of the interested powers. Overtures of the empowered rep

resentatives of the Chinese emperor have been considerately entertained.

"The Russian proposition looking to the restoration of the imperial power in Pekin has been accepted as in full consonance with our own desires, for we have held and hold that effective reparation for wrongs suffered and an enduring settlement that will make their recurrence impossible can best be brought about under an authority which the Chinese nation reverences and obeys. While so doing we forego no jot of our undoubted right to exact exemplary and deterrent punishment of the responsible authors and abettors of the criminal acts whereby we and other nations have suffered grievous injury.

"For the real culprits, the evil counsellors who have misled the imperial judgment and diverted the sovereign authority to their own guilty ends, full expiation becomes imperative within the rational limits of retributive justice. Regarding this as the initial condition of an acceptable settlement between China and the powers, I said in my message of Oct. 18 to the Chinese emperor:

"I trust that negotiations may begin so soon as we and the other offended governments shall be effectively satisfied of your majesty's ability and power to treat with just sternness the principal offenders, who are doubly culpable, not alone toward the foreigners but toward your majesty, under whose rule the purpose of China to dwell in concord with the world had hitherto found expression in the welcome and protection assured to strangers.'

"Taking as a point of departure the imperial edict appointing Earl Li Hung Chang and Prince Ching

plenipotentiaries to arrange a settlement, and the edict of Sept. 25 whereby certain high officials were designated for punishment, this government has moved, in concert with the other powers, toward the opening of negotiations which Mr. Conger, assisted by Mr. Rockhill, has been authorized to conduct on behalf of the United States.

"General bases of negotiation formulated by the government of the French republic have been accepted with certain reservations as to details made necessary by our own circumstances, but like similar reservations by other powers open to discussion in the progress of the negotiations.

"The disposition of the emperor's government to admit liability for wrongs done to foreign governments and their nationals and to act upon such additional designation of the guilty persons as the foreign ministers at Pekin may be in a position to make, gives hope of a complete settlement of all questions involved, assuring foreign rights of residence and intercourse on terms of equality for all the world.

"I regard as one of the essential factors of a durable adjustment the securement of adequate guaranties for liberty of faith, since insecurity of those natives who may embrace alien creeds is a scarcely less effectual assault upon the rights of foreign worship and teaching than would be the direct invasion thereof.

"The matter of indemnity for our wronged citizens is a question of grave concern. Measured in money alone a sufficient reparation may prove to be beyond the ability of China to meet.

"All the powers concur in emphatic disclaimers of any purpose of aggrandizement through the dismem