New-York tribune., 1901-05-02
THE CHINESE INDEMNITY.

The committee on indemnity at Picking, we
are told what should be the best authority,
has reported in favor of exacting a gross sum
of S263, 100000 from China. How IL is TO be dis
tributed among the powers when it is received
is not disclosed. How IL is TO be exacted from
China or how China is TO be permitted to raise
it, II she can raise it, is matter upon which
the representatives Of the powers do not seem
TO be agreed, and ii is said that the United
States and Great Britain take one view of it
and the other great powers another and that
surprise is felt at Paris and elsewhere that the
United States should side with Great Britain
rather than with Russia and France 1t is. Of
course, by no means certain that the sum
named is the one which the powers win finally
agree 10 exact from China. though 1t is more
likely than unlikely that such will be the case.
The details by which the sum is made I'D will
be awaited with interest. and il will not be in
the least surprising TO find that while some
powers have been set down for moderate sums
representing only their actual losses and fair
indemnities for lives destroyed, others have
been set down for enormous sums of smart
money" on the principle of get while you are
getting"
There will be especial curiosity to see what
Russia is TO get in addition 10 the enormous
indemnity which she has already exacted in the
seizure of Manchuria. Russia is undoubtedly
entitled 10 indemnity, along with the other
powers, though not to the largest indemnity.
since she was not the greatest sufferer and did
not do the greatest share of work in restoring
order. But without waiting for the cash indem-
nifty which is TO be exacted she has already
helped herself TO part of the Chinese Empire
more populous than the State of New-York. and
seven times as large in area and of inestimable
wealth in natural resources Equity would cer-
tainly seem to demand that this should he taken
into consideration when the adjustment of
claims and parcelling of the gross indemnify
are effected That il will be there is no assur-
ance, but, on the contrary, the panest of hints
are given that ii Will not be-
1t will he well to reserve judgment upon the
division of opinion among the powers until the
facts of such division are more fully and author
itatively disclosed. But we can see no ground
for surprise at the fact of the United States and
Great Britain agreeing upon the method of col
lection, If il be true that they are thus agreed
| This country, may be sure. is not induIging
In any political entanglements in the matter
but is pursuing the course which most accords
| with its own interests regardless OF the wishes
OF any other powers 1t was obvious from the
beginning that Great Britain was more likely 10
accept the American policy than Russia was.
Tor the simple reason that American and British
interests were very much more i'm harmony than
American and Russian, the latter two. in fact.
being rather antaGonistic The United States
mas consistently stood for the open door and for
the integrity OF the Chinese Empire. and in that
attitude has been earnestly supported by Great
britaln On the other hand Russia has lust as
posiuVeiy stood Tor partitioning of the Chinese