The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1901-05-09
THE CHINESE INDEMNITY,

San Francisco Chronicle.
II is reported with posi,iveness from
Berlin that, the Indemnity to be de-
manded from China has been fixed At
SS25, 100000, including all private claims,
1t is not stated how this sum is to be
divided and it may not be definitely
settled. There is doubtless however,
the outline af a division, IL the aggre-
gate has been agreed on as stated. II
il to be presumed that II China will pay
d1wr this money the powers will re-
move their armies and let the incident
be closed. China. however, has not that
money and no'apparent means of rails
ing 1t hy taxation IN the near future.
She will evidently have 10 borrow, and
IL is a question OF security. She cannot
borrow at any reasonable rate without
the guaranty of the powers, which they
viii be slow to give. She cannot borrow
At all by the regular way Of floating a
loan, ex2ep, upon the pledge of certain
definite revenues fixed by treaty and
collected under foreign supervision,
1t is difficult to comprehend the fnan-
cal weakness Of so rich country rs
China. China proper contains about l.
ss7 1000 square miles. with a population
usually estimated at 4oO,OOO,Ooo souls. |
Her present funded debt is less than /
$3.50. 900, 600. and yet she has no credit |
for the sS95.OOO. 600 now said TO be de-
manded 1t is not many years since !
France now one of the powers holding
China nv the throat. was herself a sup
o,ia,, for mercy. With territory OF
nut 2O4 O99 SQUARE miles and popula-
,,on ~ hut $1,000. 900. her national debt
at that time was nearly S'9OoOoo'VVo'
and "a, within about year she raised
and Maid over an indemnity Of S1'OOe''
ooo Ooo Now with a population OF about
sS 600 900 she owes nearly $4,000 1000 OOo'
and her people endure with apparent
cas-. ,he taxation necessary 10 maintain
her credit and support an enormous
military establishment. Why II Is so
difficult for China with resources so
enormously greater and a population
whose thrift and industry certainly
eoual that Of France is hard TO con-
ceive. or course. a larger share OF the
national product Is required for the sub
sis,Ance of the inhabitants. and France
supnlements the energy Of her people
With the energy Of coal applied in
ynv,.iad of WAYS. but at the bottom the
trouble is in the lack Of patriotism
and the power Of political organization
and direction. But the trouble exists and .
10 a great extent doubtless originates in
the superstition and fatalism of the
race For the lack Of money or credit
China lies bound hand and foot
It is an interesting fac; which may be
significant that simultaneously with this
financial distress OF the Flowery King
dom Russia is stated to have virtually
concluded a loan Of s1OOOooooo in P'ris.
and to have arrangements for another
large loan well advanced. This state
ment may or may not be true, but the
railroad projects Of Russia are on such
a scale that she is entitled TO conclude
such loans without being asked TO
what purpose they are to be applied II /
is possible that she proposes to lend
China the money to pay of these
claims. II the demand is once fixed and
accepted by China 1t is hard to see what
right her creditors would have to in t
1ulre where she gets the money to pay
them. Probably they would insist on :
without any right, but If she
should present certified check for the
'uI amount claimed to be due they
could hardly go to war about it. There
: no doubt that it would be better for
'hina 10 owe Russia than to owe the !
whole band, and Russia could well af- 1
ord to take the place of principal j,
'reditOr 1t Is not impossible that she !
nay be thinking Of something Of the .
lind. =
WITH THE PARAGRAPHERs. s