The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-12-31
GREEDY POWERS
CHECKMATED.
Fooled In Sharp Designs on
Chinese Indemnity.
OUR POSITION mISIaFERPRETED.
Consideration OF Limited Relief
Measures Taken as a ReIin-
quishment ofRights- Stand
Of State Department.

The state Department has frustrated the
hopes of certain European Powers TO add
eighteen million geld dollars to their
Golfers The hopes were based on an err
roneous Interpretation Of the special mes
sage of President Roosevelt to Congress
recommending the appropriation immedi-
ately of two million dollars to be paid as
indemnity to Americans. chiefly mission
aries. who suffered in the Boxer troubles
IN China last year.
Mr.. Roosevelt said that these people
were in distress and would suffer if they
did not secure relief soon He promised
that the two million dollars would be re-
funded to the Treasury out of the indem-
nifty 20 be paid by China.
Based on Wrong Impression
In some way the impression got abroad
that these two million dollars represent
ed all the indemnity that the United
States would take from China on account
of the outrages against individuals, and
that. adding the expenses OF the United
States military expeditions in the Picking
campaign of 1900. the total American in
demnity would not exceed seven million
dollars The indemnity promised by China
in the peace protocol signed at Peking
was about twenty-five million dollars
In arranging the total amount which
China would be obliged to pay to the
Powers the foreign diplomatic repre-
sentatives at Picking agreed that The Flow
/ cry Kingdom could not raise the money
/ necessary to cover all claims aggregating
more than $4G0. Gee 900. and they finally de-
| eided TO scale down their individual de-
mands until the total came within the
scope of China's resources. Some of the
| Powers consented reluctantly to this ar
rangement, holding that they were en-
| titled to larger indemnity.
| CupidIty of Certain Nations.
When certain foreign nations heard that
/ this Government would take only seven
millions Of the amount to which it was
entitled they instructed their ENJOYS in
Washington 10 say to the State Depart
ment that as China was able TO and had
/ promised to pay an additional eighteen
millions to the United States. they would
expect 10 obtain a proportionate share of
the indemnity to which the United States
4
words, China was to be caught coming and
going, and while the American Govern
ment would lose eighteen millions the
! Powers would have their indemnities
sweIled By that amount.
4 Diplomatic awakening.
REPRESENTATIVES Of this character have
/ been made 10 II. State Department with
in the last day or two The diplomatic
gentlemen who made them have gene
| away from the Department disappointed
They have been informed that The two
million dollars was intended only for the
! immediate relief Of the comparatively few
Americans whose condition was such that
great distress would be caused if they
were kept waiting for their losses until
China had paid the indemnity.
This Government. 1t vas explained, had
no intention Of surrendering the rest OF
the twenty-five millions. AS for the
amount required to coEer the expenses o.
the American military expedition. the
State Department made It plain that i've
millions was q ridiculausly low estimate
for that purpose
state Departments Attitude.
If the State Department ever had an
intention Of reducing its claims, it VII
not carry it into effect now, Should S25,
O00, coo be more than sufficient 10 cover
all the damages for which redress vas de
manded by the American Government, tbs
remainder viii probably De returned &
| China, but not U1til after the claims 0
! the Powers have been satisfied
From the beginning Of the peace nego
| tistious "a Peking the United States Ia!
sought 10 prevent any squeezing 0
China and would be willing to reduce tbs
| amount OF the American indemnity
other Powers would consent to cut dow
: their demands proportionately.