The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-11-14
What VIII the Powers Exact OF
China?

Or. MORRISON. tho correspondents Of the
London Times at Peldn. has shown himself
10 Trustworthy that We are inclined to
credit his account OF the demands upon
which the foreign Ministers are said to
have agreed. and which. provided they are
approved By the Governments Interested,
will b. pressed upon the Chinese ~Plenipotsn-
ttaries. 1t IL to be noted that some OF tho
proposals are Identical with those alleged TO
have been Professionally framed about the
middle Of October, but Others have been
added since the arrival Of Marshal vow
WALpERsRE and his assumption Of the
functions Of Generalissimo. Considered as
providing repsration for tho past and
guarantees for the future. the proposals
seem to reach. II they do not Transcend.
the limits OF the practical BILE. although.
Of course. they fall far short Of Sir
RopERT HART's ~fanciful plan. which
would involve the deposition OF the ruling
dynasty and the partition OF China among
the treaty Powers. We. on our part. are by
no means sure that the demands should not
be deemed excessive IN two particulars, by
which We mean not that they exceed the
enormity OF the onsncs. but that the
Emperor kwASo-sU and the Empress Re-
gent may be unable, even II they were WILL
ing. TO comply with them,
No objection Is likely to be offered to the
proposal that a monument shall be erected
20 Baron Won KErrELEB on tho site OF his
murder. and that an Imperial Prince shall
be despatched to Germany to apologize to
Emperor WILLIAM for the ASSIMILATION Of
his representative. Neither Il II un-
reasonable to ask that certain Princes
and high personagss. who are known TO
have i~nstlgated tho Boxer outrsSes. shall
be put to death BY way OF example.
The Chinese Government may be fairly
called upon. also. TO proclaim that In
the future all officials who shall have
made no effort to prevent ousrages on
foreigners within their Jurisdiction shall
be immediately removed and punished.
That "a one guarantee for the future.
and a still more eIectual ono IL sue-
gested in the proposal that provincial
examinations for admission 70 the civil
service shall be suspended for Eve years
In places where outrages shall Rave oc-
CURED. As for the demand that the raku
and other forts on the coast OF the Province
of Chihli shall DO raIed. that permanent
legation guards shall be stationed in Pek,n
and that guards shallnlso be stAtioned along
the line Of communication between Pekin
and the sea. such precautions would be we'll
enough. II the Chinsse court consents 10 re-
turn to Pekin. but they would b. obviously
useless II the court prefers to remain st
Singan. For the allied Powers to AZ
tempt to prescribe a place Of residence for
the Chinese Imperial family would be glsr-
ingly Inconsistent with the theory on which
they are prooeeding. namely. that China's IN
pendenoe territorial integrity and present
administrative structure arc 10 ha re-
spectsd.
With regard to tho proposed prohih,-
tion Of the importation Of arms and war
materials into China. We have previously
pointed out that II could not be enforced.
and that. even II 1t could, tina manuf.c,-
IRE of improved arms and ammur,-
ton could be carried on by skilled
foreign artlfcers Ia Chinese arsenal.
That the Tsung-li-Yamen. or Board for
Foreign Affairs. shall be abolished
and its functions vested in n ,lnrlo
foreign Minister IL A sensible command,
ton. and one that the ChiHese lmrerial
Government can accept without loss O,
face. That Ainb,kssdors ehou,a have ,hs
privilege OF personal intercourse with The
Emperor is likewise a reasonable demand.
The same thing may be said OF the proposal
that Imperial proclamarons supprea.inz
the Boxers shall be posted for two years
throughout the Empire,
The two particulars in which the pro-
posais seem 10 us imprscticabls are the
ioliowing' In the frat rlsce. the list OF
guilty persons whose execution 10 sxacted
includes Prince TuAS. the father Of the heir
snparent and also tho very General under