Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-01-05
VERY Strong EFFORT
Is BEING MADE BY THE STATE DE-
PARTMENT TO AN
UNDERSTANDING
AMONG INTERESTED POWERS
AS A BASIS FOR THE SETTLEMENT
OF THE CHINESE INDEMNITY.
The Efforts Of China to Secure Better
Terms Simply Add to the Total of
the Cost-The Attitude of Russia
in Manchuria is Causing Much APP
prehensiOn-The Latest News From
the Celestial Empire.

WASHINGTON, January 4.-The
| State Department is making a strong
effort to secure an understanding
among the powers to serve as a basis
| for the adjustment of the question of
indemnity to be paid by the Chinese
government. 1t appears from Mr..
Conger's reports that it is hopeless to
expect the foreign ministers at Pekin
to reach an agreement on this import
ant subject, and if the problem is to
be solved at all, it must be removed
from the Pekin council and dealt with
by direct diplomatic exchanges, as was
successfully attempted in the case Of
the preceding serious difference be-
tween the ministers. Therefore, the
State Department is in correspondence
with other foreign officers respecting
this subject, though the negotiations
have not proceeded to a point where
it can be said that a successful ter
mination is in sight. The principal
difficulty in the way is believed to be
the enormous indemnities demanded
by some of the powers. The efforts
of the Chinese government to secure
better terms, SO far as they tend to
protract the negotiations, also are ex-
pected to have the result of adding
considerably to the sum total which
must be paid in the end. This is be-
cause the expenses of maintaining the
foreign military establishments in
China probably will be assessed against
the Chinese government and the cost
of keeping foreign troops in Pekin at
try where every necessity of life has
to be imported from a distance, will
make the bill very heavy. 1t Is be-
lieved that the bill OF Germany will be
by far the largest, and it is a signif-
can fact that the German govern
ment has allowed its officers on SER
vice in China ive-fold their regular
salaries, a rate of pay hitherto un-
known in military history. The Chi
nese, however, are expected to pay
for this.
The attitude of Russia in Manchuria
has given rise to considerable appre-
hension here. AS indicated in recent
news dispatches a series of regulations
had been promulgated by the Russian
government for the administration Of
affairs in M"anchuria which would seem
to the officials here to warrant an APP
prehension that a permanent occupa-
ton of that territory with it's popula-
ton of twenty millions, is in contem-
plation. 1t is believed that some re-
presentations either have been, or will
be made on the subject to the powers.
When the Russian government an
nounced it's intention to withdraw its
troops from Pekin, it also solemnly de-
clared that "as soon as lasting orders
shall have been established in Man
churia, and indispensable measures
taken for the protection of railway
construction, which, according to for
NAL agreement, China assured, Russia
will not fail to withdraw her troops
from these territories of the nelghbor-
ing empire, provided the action OF the
powers does o place any obstacle in
the way of such a measure
The contention of the Russian re-
presentatives here is that the condi-
tons laid down in this pledge have not
yet been realized and they insist that
there is nothing in the published reg
ulations which would warrant the as
sumption that Russia is not actlng in
perfect good faith in this matter. To
clear up any doubt that may remain
on this point, however, it is probable
that an explicit official declaration
from Russia will be invited on this
point.