Evening star., 1901-12-11
ROCKHILL'So REPORT
The American Policy in the Far
East
BASED ON JUSTICE AND MODERATION
Friendly Alike to the Powers and
fd ne
China.
MAINTENANCE OF HARMON

| The 1ong-expected report of Special Com
| missioner Rockhill to the Secretary Of
State on the results of his work in connec-
| tion with the Chinese negotiations in
Picking. has been submitted to Congress-
along with the full text of the protocol,
which has been already publish, and a mass
| of detailed statements. 1t was upon this re-
| port that the President based his COM
| mandatory reference to Mr.. Rockhilrs work
| in his recently published message to Con-
| gr.ss. RI
| Beginning by detailing the conditions un-
| der which he came to be appointed, in July,
| 1900, United States commissioner to China,
| Mr.. Rockhill 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
| fully concurred in all the measures that
Minister Conger had been and was advo-
| eating. These negotiations extended over a
period of fourteen months, and Mr.. Rock
hill thus summarizes the results in address,
ing Secretary Hay:
The circular note which you telegraphed
on July 3, 1900, to our embassies in Eu-
i rope and to our missions in Vienna, Brus-
sells, Madrid, Toxic, The Hague and Lis
bon, defined the policy already then adopted
by the United States in the settlement of
affairs in China and from which they never
u.
! ways in mind, the task Of the agents of our
government in Pekng was a comparatively
easy one. Throughout the negotiations our
object to the influence of our gov
ernment in the interest of justice and mod
Grafton, and in spirit of equal friendship
to the powers negotiating jointly with US
and the Chinese nation.
Demands of the Powers.
1.-The twelve 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 %, 1900, may be classified under
four principal heads. l. Adequate punish
ment for the authors Of and those guilty
Of actual participation in the anti-foreign
massacres and riots. g. The adoption of
measures necessary to prevent their recur-
renee. 8. The indemnification for losses
sustained by states and foreigners through
these riots. A. The improvement of our re-
lations, both official and commercial, with
the Chinese government and with China
generally.
"As regards the punishment of the re-
sponsible authors and actual perpetrators
OF the anti-foreign outrages, the govern
ment cf the United States, while insisting
that all such should be held to the utmost
accountability, declined to determine in
every case the nature of the punishment to
be inflicted and maintained that the Chi
nese government itself should in all cases
carry them out.
Amount of Indemnity.
LAS regards the third point of the nego-
tiations, the equitable indemnifcation of
the various states for the losses and ex-
penses incurred by them in China and in
sending expeditionary forces to relieve the
legations and foreign residents at Peking
and restore order, and also the securing Of
indemnities to societies, companies and in
dfviduals for their private losses through
ha ti-fn ha gov yQrr,r ont Of
the United States advocated that the sum
total Of these indemnities should not eX-
ceed a reasonable amount well within the
power of China to pay. After careful In
Quiry, you reached the conclusion that with
her present resources and liabilities, China
could not pay as indemnities to the powers
more than two hundred millions Of dollars.
and that the eXaction of any larger amount
would not only entail permanent financial
embarrassment on the country, but might
possibly result in either international finan-
cial control or even loss of territory. The
representative Of the United States was in
structed accordingly, and he was further
told that in the opinion of our government
the amount should be asked of China by
the powers jointly, without detail or cx-
PLANTATION, and afterward divide among
them according to their losses and disburse-
ments. You also stated that every facli-
ty of payment should be accorded China,
and that the debt should be paid by bonds
issued at par and bearing per cent inter-
est and running for thirty or forty years.
Effect of Our Moderation.
Though it became necessary, after pro-
tracted discussion 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 1888, 600 OOO our insist
ence in pressing for a much lower sum, and
the weight OF the arguments adduced in
favor OF such a 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
ponds issued at par and bearing low rate
of interest four per cent was finally agreed
upon, and running for forty years, resulted
IN saving vast sum to China, haStened
tne evacuation of the country by the sxpe-
d1t1onary forces and the restoration of or
der and of normal relations with the Chi
nese government.
Reform of Chinese Tariff.
In connection with the question of the
indemnity, 1 should particularly mention
that, 1t having proved necessary to the
powers In their search for revenues ap-
plicable to the service of the indemnity
debt that the existing nominal Of per
cent ad valorem customs tariff on foreign
imports should be made an effective
per cent ad valorem, the United States.
mind1ul OF the furtherance Of lawful COM
merce In China in the interests Of the
world, and believing that no opportunity
snou!d De lost to secure to foreign trade
al the facilities its vast Importance en-
Titles 1t to-, and that any additional tax
compensations on the part Of China of
equal value declined to consent to tho