Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-04-20

k1w-aHE firm attitude OF the powers
in China respecting the lmposI-
ton and collection OF a war In
IDENTITY has given rise to a
IA great deal OF discussion anent
the lactly implied principle
involved OF monetary reparation for the
loss Of human life
The rules governing the collection OK
this indemnity were suonitted to the
ministers and approved by them at a
meeting which was held about the mid
die Of March, and a plan was agreed to
for putting them into effect, SO II may
be accepted as settled that an indemni-
" win be forced from China, whatever
may be her sentiments In the case. on
the publication Of these rules, however
what ma, be termed an almost univer-
sal protest has been made against the
enforcement Of penalty especially Of
the magnitude mentioned, as wrong In
principle and excessive IN amount
But an examination Of historical writ
ings goes TO show that China's Is not
an Isolated instance Of the compound
ing for the loss Of human lives by
means Of filthy lucre, and that, II the
original draft Of the measure be con-
frmed and accepted the sum demand
ed win not be much more than what she
paid to Japan after the war Of 1s94-5.
In fact, she invoked the protection Of
virtually the same powers that are now
banded together for her humiliation
and was served far worse than II she
had treated with Japan alone. She was
given back Port Arthur and the Llau-
Tong peninsula by the treaty Of shi-
monOseki, and the indemnity demanded
by Japan was pared down to the last
million OF taels.
But what was the result?
Russia demanded the retroceded ter
ritory in return for her good Offices"
Germany took another section because
Russia had received so much, Great
Britain accepted another for the same
reason, and close behind her came
France, with resultant complications,
from which, II the great powers extrl-
cate themselves without war and blood
shed, It will be through some unprece-
dented miracle Of diplomacy.
However an appeal to presidents
will show that other nations, and some
of them ranking China in the scale Of
civilization. have been compelled to re-
imburse their oonquerOrs to greater
extent than she is now called upon
to do.
Incredible as It might seem to be as
principle, the precedent has long been
established of q money compensation
for the loss of life, especially for the
killing Of foreigners In q country where
their rights were supposed to be safe
guarded Indeed, the United States has
followed this precedent not once only,
but several times particularly in the
matter Of indemnifylng China for the
murder Of her own subjects in this
country. a notable instance was the
killing OF Italians at New Orleans by
incensed citizens not many years ago.
The question Of their Just deserts did
not enter into the calculation, but Jus
tice was demanded as a matter OF inter-
HdllVnei NulnlNNs All Nilut vase HlOiltN
was rendered by Secretary Of state
Blaine and was finally accepted by the
Italian government In essence, how
ever. II may be held that human life is
inestlmable and cannot be compounded
for on the basis Of a peounlary value
bur, in fact, It has been propounded
and accepted as perhaps the only means
of reaching a nation or body OF people
offending In this respect and assumed
as makeshlft for the purpose of tldlng
over emergencies which might other
wise result dlsastrously
Viewed as a matter of international
equity. the United states has contrib
uted something toward this method OF
compensatory adjustment, and one Of