Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-12-06
settlement IN SIGHT
Representatives Of the Powers at
Pekin Authorized to Sign an
Agreement.
Terms Of the Compact Along the
Lines Suggested by secre.
tary Hay.
China Not Asked to Perform I'm
China Not Asked to Perform I'm
possible Feats-Exact Condi-
tions Unknown.

Washington, Dec. 6.-The great pow
ers have practically reached an agree
ment as to the basis of future move
ments in China, and this basis Is that
which was proposed by Secretary Hay.
Secretary Hay has cabled Minister
Conger to- sign for the United States an
agreement which the ministers reached
at Pekin. This agreement was sent to
the home governments for their approx
al, and with a single exception every
power has already cabled its represent
ative at Pekin to sign The agreement,
and that power will probably do so.
Thus the concert OF the powers is pre-
served and a practical and rational ba-
sis of settlement has been reached at
last. thanks to the Skill and firmness
of the American secretary Of state.
The chief features of the agreement
are as follows: 1t is stipulated that the
punishments to be meted out to guilty
Chinese are as severe as it Is possible.
for the Chinese government to admins
ter, but not more severe. The govern
ment of China is not to be asked to do
the Impossible.
1t is expected that under this obliga-
eleven ringleaders in the attacks upon
the legations and In the incitement Of
anti-foreign outrages. Some of these
will be beheaded Others win be ban
ished or degraded.
If Great Britain and Germany had
been permitted to have their way the
dynasty would have been compelled ID
agree TO behead men who are beyond
Of
men who are in the western provinces
and in command of military forces suf-
ficient to protect them Secretary Hay
has from the first contended that While
in Justice all hese heads should be
taken off. it is necessary to catch your.
hare before cooking him. and that it
was simply absurd TO require the Chi-
nese government 10 aecapitate men
whom it could not get hold Of.
These guilty officials will be barished
and degraded, and thus twill be, made
impossible for them to return TO posi-
tions OF power.
1t is S stipulated in the agreement that
the Chinese government is TO formally
admit its liability to- the powers for
damages and for the expense of mill
tary operations. This done, the amount
of indemnity to be paid each nation is
TO be ascertained afterwara by means
of careful inquiries and estimates.
This part of the plan viii require
much time and while of course it will
give rise to opportunities for trouble
making powers to precipitate new COM
pltcations, il is falt that a great point
has been gained, by making the amount
of the indemnity a subject of negotia-
tons as II should be, rather than pre-
liminary condition.
II Germany and Great Britain had
been permitted to control the situation
enormous indemnities. utterly beyond
the power OF China TO meet, would have
been demanded before any progress was
made toward actual settlement.
Other features of the agreement per-
tain to the legation guards to be kept at
Pekin. to the razing of the Pekin forts
and other military precautions similar
TO those proposed by the French govern
ment a. month ago.
To these conditions 1t is understood
Ii Hung Chang and Prince Ching. rep
resenting the emperor, are willing to ac-
cede.
In official and diplomatic circles here
the belief is expressed that great step
forward has been taken and that again
there is good prospect Of an adjustment
OF the seemingly unending complication
without disrnemberment and without
destruction Of the dynasty.
The agreement now reached points to
an early military evacuation of Pekin
and return OF the court to that capi-
tai.