Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1897-12-30
OUR CHINA POLICY.
The United States Passive but
Ready for Emergencies
FAVORABLE REPORT on INDIAN BILL.
Committees Of the Senate and House
Consider the Curtis Measure Alleged
Frauds In Postal Contracts with
the Railroads

WARRINGTON, Dec. 2S.-While the
policy Of the United States Is to re-
main passive while the European gov
ernments are intriguing and quarrel.
Ing over their respective footholds in
the Chinese empire, it Is by no means on
inactive one as far as American inter.
ests are concerned. There are Ameri.
can settlements at IS treaty ports in
China, and our interests there are
much more important than generally
supposed. II q partition of China
should be accomplished it might pos
sibly be followed by disorder and dis
turbances that would injure American
missionaries and American property.
The possibility Of trouble has suggest
cd itself to Adm. McNair, in command
Of the Chinese squadron, and he has
communicated his views to the state
and navy departments here, so that
preparations have been made to pro-
tect our interests. At present num-
Der OF formidable vessels are held in
readiness to be dispatched to the China
coast to swell the squadron there if,it
should be thought necessary. 1t is
not anticipated that any danger would
arise TO American interests from any
Of the powers seeking advantage in
China, but the Chinese themselves
might become aroused and riots occur
that would in all probability result in
damage to American property and dam
ger to American residents.
FAVORABLE REPORT ON INDIAN BILL.
WASHINGTON, Dec 2S.--The senate
and house subcommittee on Indian
territory affairs yesterday considered
the Curtis bill in joint session. Col
A. =. McKennon, of the Dawes Indian
commission, reviewed the situation in
the territory and advocated ratifica-
ton Of the treaty made with the Semi.
mole tribe the only one Of the agree
ments in shape for such action. As to
townsites, he suggested requirement
Of title by the Indians to their lands
through partition proceedings, to be
instituted by them in the United
States courts against the tribal govern
ments after the allotment Of the lands
in severalty. Satisfactory negotia.
tions with the tribes, he said, were
almost an impossibility, and he
pointed out that action on the part Of
this congress in the way Of general
legislation for the whole territory was
unnecessary. The committee urges
that the Curtis bill, with amendments,
be passed this session. One Of the
amendments proposed by some Of the
members Of the subcommittee pro-
vides for q division of the fee of the
land instead Of its mere use in case the
members Of the tribe affected should
prefer this system. This amendment
would give the Indians the alterna-
tive Of taking individual allotments
with full title to the lands or to their
mere use.
ALLEGED FRAUD IN POSTAL CONTRACTS.
WASHINGTON. Dec. est is alleged
that the United States government is
being defrauded annually by the rail-
roads Of the country out of between
30, OOO,O 900 and $s,OOO.OOO. This enor-
nous sum, it is said, is paid each year
for the transportation Of the mails in
excess Of the amount to which the rail-
roads are entitled. Defects in the law
under which the contracts for carry
ing the mails are let are responsible
for this enormous loss, which the off,
Gals Of the post office department are
powerless to prevent. Once every year
the mails are weighed by representa-
tives OF the post Office department, and
the weights thus secured are used as
basis upon which the contracts for the
following quadrennium are let It is
alleged that during the weighing sea-
son the amount Of mail matter and the
mileage is increased by fraudulent
schemes, the result being that the gov
eminent is robbed shamefully during
the life OF the contracts.