The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-05-17
CHINA'S ANSWER.

CHINA'S ANSWER.
After weeks and months of delay
spent mostly in diplomatic by-play in
bringing Chinese officials to an under
standing that they must pay some at
tention to the demands of the powers
of the world, the representatives of the
various powers have received from the
Chinese plenipotentiaries their reply
to the demand for an indemnity of
400, 600, 900 taels. In their reply the
plenipotentiaries state that China has
not the slightest intention of trying
to escape from the payment of any just
obligations to the various nations of
the world, that she is pledged to pay
all the Legitimate expenses of the allies
and all damages actually incurred by
foreigners during the recent troubles
and will do SO. They then set forth
that the resources of China are dimin-
ishing, that the government in recent
years has been only able to raise 49,.
600, 600 taels a year of which "a, 900,
600 goes to pay the war loan aud 16,
700, 600 more for other foreign obliga-
tlons. After dwelling at considerable
length upon this feature of China's
internal affairs and it's outstanding OBJ
legations, the Chinese representatives
propose that 10, 600, 900 taels annually
be set aside and paid to the powers
until the sum agreed upon is made up.
Best informed authorities as to China S
financial conditions say that this is
the best that country can do, and as
this is the reply to the demand, it will
probably be taken as the basis of set
Element. Ii Hung Chang would like
to have the bills of the different
powers examined before The Hgaue tri-
bunal, but this is not likely to be done,
as it was pointed to him that should
this be done foreign occupation would
be continued at cost of several mil
lion taels day until the examination
was concluded and that this would be
put upon China to pay.
China is paying dearly for the upris-
ing that was allowed to run it's length
and was really connived at by some
of the high officials and encouraged
directly and indirectly by the empress
dowager. 1t is quite likely that had
a move been made to capture her,
or had she been disposed of authority
and a new government instituted for
China, comprised of men who recog-
! nize the fact that China must conform
, in her dealings with the outside world,
to the usages of civilization, the ex-
listing difficulties could have been more
easily, quickly and satisfactorily set
| tied. 1t is doubtful whether perma-
nent peace with perfect safety guaran,
teed to foreigners can be secured sc
long as the empress dowager is allowed
to WELD an important influence in
governmental affairs.
1t would seem that men of Lii Hung
Changes standing would note all this
| and heartily cooperate with the
powers to bring about change. But
the trouble is China is woefully COR,
rupt. If it were possible to form and
establish a new government that
| would rule China with even a SEM
blance of Justice, it would unearth a
vast nest of official corruption, and
no one better understands this than the
willy old Ii himself, who has waxed rich
at government expense which haI
kept him so long in official life. Gould
this corruption be stopped China would
soon be in much better financial con
dition and the people less burdened.