The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1901-04-17
UNCLE SIM WOULD
REDUCE DEMANDS
Ready to Agree to Cut
Chinese Claims
in Half.
WAITS DECISION 0F THE NATIONS
WAITS DECISION or THE NATIONS
FORTY MILLION POUNDS sTgR-
LING is THE LIMIT TO
BE REQUIRED.
State Department, Does Not Wish to
Place an UnbesrsbIe Burden on
the moneoIisns-other Nations
Likely 10 Agree.

WASHINGTON, April 9.-The State
Department has heard further from
.ir. ROckhill. our SPECIAL commission
'sr at Picking. touching the effort max
ing there to effect an agreement re-
speeding the indemnity TO be demand
ed from the Chinese government Mr.
Rockhills principal effort acting I'M
der direct instructions from Secretary
Hay. is TO induce the ministers of 9th
or powers 20 keep down the total Of
their claims to the amount which the
financial experts, headed by Sir Rob
ert Hart. have decided 20 be within
the ability OF China TO pay.
The L. S. government has felt that
on no account should the total in
denmnity claim exceed 10000 900
pounds sterling and has steadfastly
sought to make that figure the outside
limit of the claim. For itself the
State Department claims S25,0G0.000
indemnity. and II has supplied Mr..
Rockhill with data for the presenta-
ton OF an itemized account showing
the expenditures made by the gov
eminent OF the L. s. for transporta-
tion OF our military contingency in
just claims OF the missionaries who
were American citizens and suffered
in property and person from the Boxer
outbreak In its anxiety to avoid OPP
pressing China and to secure a speedy
settlement of the Chinese question,
the United States government stands
willing TO make a heavy cut in its
claim, provided the other nations rep
resented at Picking will abate their
claims in proportion 1t is entirely
possible that If Mr. Rockhill can in.
duce the other ministers to make q
cut OF so per cent. in their Indemnity
claims he will do so; though the APP
parent result be the loss to the United
States of Sl2. 500 900.
The administration : satisfied that
the great danger of ,e situation at
Peldng lies in delay. lad the present
representations OF Rockhill been
u Fed. the officials ae confident that
the 'rmidable rebellion which has
now oxen o. under the leadership
OF General Fuh. would never
have occurred. Mr.. Rockhill had sat
isfied himself that the Chinese govern
ment was absolutely sincere when II
pleaded inability TO punish this great
general and Prince Tuan in the full
measure demanded by the powers. II
is thought here that more modest de-
mands could have been met by the
Chinese government and the rebellion
averted. The indemnity question also
has consumed an unconscionable
length of time. and If It had been set
tied several weeks or even months
ago. the present difficulty. it is be-
lieved. would have been impossible.
II is the hope. therefore. of the Of
ficials here that Tung Fuh Slams
movement win stimulate the tagging
ministers at Picking to final action. II
II does not. il the court is obliged to
fee from Sian-fu, and the great Yang
tse viceroys are overawed by General
Tung Fuh Sian ms seems entirely prob
able. then all China will be plunged
into anarchy. in the estimate of the
officials here.