The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1900-12-08

New York Tribune.
The matter Of pecuniary indemnity
appears to be one OF the chief obstacles
in the way OF settlement in China. Al
the powers are agreed tha, some indsm-
nifty must be exacted. The Chimes.
government comedies Il. But as TO tn,
amount OF Indemnity to be paid ther'
are reported to be wide and radical d.
versities OF opinion. China. OF course
desires to pay as little as possible. and
as a matter OF fact is not able to pay
much without bringing millions OF her
people to outright starvation. Some
powers are in favor OF requiring from
her only the actual value Of property
destroyed and amount Of expense in
CURED. and a round but reasonable
sum for the lives OF those foreigners
who were murdered by the Boxers.
Such indemnities China could pay. and
would pay. other powers seem to favor
the exaetion OF exemplary damages OF
an enormous amount; they have sent
unnecessary troops to China, on dou-
bled or even Quadrupled pay. intending
that China shall foot the bills. and they
seem inclined to draw up a total bill
Of claims somewhat after the fashion
long since a byword. for killing two
missionaries, oEe province" There is
scarcely any room for doubt that China
would be quite unable to meet any such
demands, and their enforcement would
mean simple spoilation Of the empire.
Settlement or spollatlon. then. is the
alternative. Between the two it should
be easy for any nation to make choice.
Every nation has professed a desire for
settlement and has disclaimed all pur-
pose Of spOIiation. And the way TO set
tie is to settle. to adopt terms with
which it is possible TO comply. To de-
mand impossible terms Is TO make set
ileTnent impossible and 10 compel spoil
alton by indirection. 1t would not be
pleasant to think that any power delib-
erately meant to do the latter. The
bur'len Of controlling and governing the
teeming millions Of China and the dan
ger Of violent conflict among rival
claimants in the partitioning of that
empire would be far too grave for any
power lightly to incur them. Nor is it
to BE- maintained that a vast and exem-
plary indemnity must be exacted as a
lesson TO China. II is not the amount
Of indemnity that will tell so much as
the simple fact Of it. and the manner OF
1t, and the other details Of the settle
ment. The occupation Of the forbidden
city by foreign troops and the degrada-
ton and punishment Of some Of the
highest mobiles Of the empire will Inn
press both government and people far
more than any mere treasury Iooting
The lattr would. in fact, defeat its
own purpose, because It would increase
the burdens Of millions Of the common
people who had no part in the Boxer
revolt and who have no animosity
against foreigners. but in whose minds
such anlmosity would surely be engen-
lered by crushing taxation at alien de-
mand.
Reference to one other feature Of the
case may not be inappropriate. A lit
tie while ago various members Of the
European press-sone Of them reputed
to reflect official sentlment-were hot
and scornful toward the United States
as a country to which "the jlngllng Of
the guinea helps the hurt that honor
feels" They c0ntumeliously portrayed
this nation as willing to suffer loss Of
honor and to forego retribution for out
rage and murder If 50 1t could get the
cash indemnity which It's sordid greed
desired. The reproach was uncalled for
and unwarranted. and now by the bitter
Irony Of the progress Of affairs II is
turned from its former object fairly
against its makers. The very countries
whose mouthpleces were most censorl-
ous Of this country for seeking cash In
demnity are now themselves foremost
In seeking mode Of unsettllng settle-