Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1900-12-18
TERMS AGREED UPON.
UNDERSTANDING REACHED ON
CHINESE QUESTION.
Compromise Is Conferences Are
TO Begin Soon-Inabiiity of Court to
Inflict Death Penalty Recognized

The acute phase OF the crisis in the
Chinese negotiations was passed We'd
nesday, when all the interested nations
reached harmonious agreement i'll re-
gard TO the demands TO be made on the
Chinese government, to which assent
must be given before formal peace nego-
tiations may begin. Instructions We're
sent TO Minister Conger by Secretary
Hay to sign the preliminary agreement,
and ii is now assured that the formal
conferences between Li-Hung-Chang and
Prince Ching, the Chinese plenipoten-
tiaries, and the ministers of the powers
will be initiated shortly.
Adyices were received at the State De-
partI;lent from Mr.. Conger that the min
listers had modified the agreement IN ac-
cordanse with the instructions sent TO
their representatives by the respective
governments. The agreement was neces-
salily compromise, but on the whole it
is satisfactory to the United States, the
two main points of punishment and in
demnity being arranged in conformity
with the views of the President and Sec
rotary Of State. The State Department.
learned that an agreement such as that
reached would be acceptable, il not who's
~ satisfactory, to the other powers.
Compromise on Punishments.
The main question ut issue was that
of punishments. The ministers had
adopted an article of the agreement
which provided that twelve Chinese dig
nitaries should be executed for their COM
plicity in the anti-forelgn troubles To
this the United States objected on the
ground that the Chinese imperial author-
titles or the powers we're unable to infict
such severe sentences on the powerful
officials named chief of whom was Prince
Tuan, the father of the heir apparent
to the throne. Russia promptly came
to the support of the United States in
this contention, and all the other nations
followed sdit with the exception of Ger
many, which desired the most exemplary
punishment inflicted on those who We're
directly responsible for the murder of
Baron Won Ketteler.
AS a result of exchanges within the
last week Germany, it is understood, has
come around to this view that the Chi
nese government, which is charged by
the powers with the infection of the pun
ishments, was unable TO carry out capital
sentences on the principal offenders
Guarantees, however, must be given that
these men viii be punished severely, and
the powers must have evidence that the
punishments have been carried out in
good fai5h.
As to indemnity, the agreement con-
tains a provision that the Chinese gov
ernment shall acknowledge liability for
injuries to governments, corporations and
persons, and agree to pay damages, ae-
tual and exemplary, to be fixed hereafter
in such manner as the peace plenipoten-
tiaries shall decide. The amounts to be
paid are not fixed nor is any limit of IN
demnity named. This government and
Russia favor the transfer of the indem-
nifty question to the permanent court of
arbitration at The Hague, of which ex-
President Harrison, Chief Justice Fuller,
Attorney General Griggs and Judge Gary
of Delaware, formerly United States
Senator. are the American members.
AN the otaer demands heretofore adopt
ed by the ministers are included in the
agreement with no material modifca-
tons. These embrace the proposals Of
France and Germany, the more radical
being suggested from Berlin. While OBJ
jecting to some of them, this government
devoted its efforts mainly to securing
notifications of the punishment and in
demnity clauses, and was finally obliged
to appeal to the powers over the heads
of the ministers in pekin to bring about
the adoption of less severe demands in
these matters.