Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1901-12-19
Rockhill's Report on Influence Of
United States in the Chinese
Negotiations.
JUSTICE WAS TEMPERED WITH MERCY.
Efforts of the United States That
the Severity of the Punishments
Was Reduced and the Indemnity
I Kept Down.

peCteQ report OF Special Commissioner
Rockhill to the secretary OF state Old
the results of his work in connection
with the Chinese negotiations. in Pee
king has been submitted to congress,
along with the full text Of the protocol
which has been already published and
mass of detailed statements. It was
upon this report that the president
based his commendatory reference to
Mr.. Rockhill's work in his recently pub
lished message to congress.
Beginning by detailing the condi-
tons under which he came to be APP
pointed in July, 1900. United States
Commissioner to China Mr.. RockhiH
tells of visits he made to the viceroys
of Shanghai and Wuchang, which, he
said, did not little to further the in
terests of peace. Mr.. Rockhill says
that he further: concurred in all the
measures that Minister Conger had
been and was advocating. These nego-
tiations extended over a period of II
months, and Mr.. Rockhill thus sum-
marizes the results in addressing Sec
rotary Hay:
1.-THE circular note which you telegraphed
on July g. 1900. to our embassies IN Europe
and to our missions in Vienna. Brussels,
Madrid, Toxic, The Hague and Lisbon, de-
fined the policy already then adopted by
the United States in the settlement OF at
fairs in China and from which they never
departed. Bearing these instructions al
ways in mind, the task of the agents Of our
government in Peking was comparative
~ easy one. Throughout the negotiations
%h@ 3v,fr nj n1yr
government in the interest of justice and
moderation and in spirit Of equal friend
ship to the powers negotiating Jointly with
us and the Chinese nation 49,. +.
1.-THE - demands made by the powers on
China, the accomplishment of which was
deemed necessary for the restoration of
normal relations with that country and
which were embodied In the joint note of
December q, 1900, may be classified under
four principal heads: ~ a.,
II. Adequate punishment for the authors
Of and those guilty of actual participation
In the anti-foreign massacres and riots;
'2. The adoption of measures necessary
to prevent their occurrences;
''3. The decentralization for losses sus-
tanned by states and foreigners through
these riots; and <..s., 49,. = as..,-
~ The Improvement of our relations,
both official nd commercial, with the Chi
nese government and with China generally.
's~ Saved Many Heads
LAS regards the punishment of the re-
sponsible authors and actual perpetrators
Of the anti-foreign outrages, the govern.
ment of the United States, while insist
ing that all such should be held to the
utmost accountability, declined to deter
mine in every case che nature Of the pun
ishment to be inflicted, and maintained
that the Chinese government itself should
in all cases carry them out. Owing to
efforts Of the United States towards mod
Grafton, the demands for capital punish
ment we're finally reduced from ten to
four, and many names, enormously or
on insufficient evidence, placed on the
lists, were removed, or lighter, forms Of
punishment asked for numbers of those
left on them. ...-.
The Indemnity.
Though it became necessary, after pro-
tracted discussions in the conference, to ac-
cept the proposition Of the other powers to
demand of China the sum total of their
losses and disbursements, reaching the
enormous sum Of 1898 100000, our insist
ence in pressing for much lower sum, and
the weight of the arguments adduced in
favor of such policy, resulted in closing
the indemnities at the above lump sum,
when they bid fair. to go on swelling in
definitely. This and the acceptance of your
suggestion that the indemnities be paid in
bonds issued at par and bearing low rate
of interest four per cent. was finally
agreed upon), and running for 40 years, re-
suited in saving vast sum to China,
FASTENED the evacua ton of the country by
the 'expeditionary forces and the restora-
ton of order and of normal relations with
the Chinese govern ment.
''Such. in brief. has been the role played
by the United States in the conference of
Picking. While we maintained complete in
dependence we were able to act harmoni-
ously In the concert of powers the existence
of which was SO essential to the prompt
and peaceful settlement of the situation,
we retained the friendship Of all the nego-
tia ting powers exerted salutary influence
in the cause of moderation, humanity and
justice, secured adequate PREPARATION for
wrongs done our citizens, guarantees for
their future protection and labored sue
| cessfully in the interests of the whole
world in the cause Of equal and impartial
trade with all parts of the Chinese empire"
Death Of d. p. Thompson.
Portland, Ore, Dec, 16,-David p.