The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1901-07-29

It has taken not very much less
than a year for the diplomats in Pc
kin and the Chinese government to
come to terms in the matter OF In
demnity. The latter can hardly be
held responsible for the delay. be-
cause the powers have been able to
maxi their own terms
The cause is to he found In the fact
that the concert has been very far
from harmonious. Some of The pow
ers seem 10 have been intent on MAX
ing terms with which China could
not comply in order to provide them
selves with a pretext for demanding
territorial indemnity; that is to say,
with a pretext for partition.
These powers seem to have learned
from experience that it would be un-
profitable to attempt to impose allen
governments over the Chinese peo-
pie, and tat more satisfactory results
are likely to be secured by support
ing the existing government and sub
iecting so far as necessary to cen
tral and reformatory influences.
The aggregate amount Of the indem-
nifty is stated at 45OOOO,C0O taels.
China is to apply about 23.OO0.OO0
taels annually to the payment of
per cent interest on this indebtedness
and the extinguishment of the princi-
pal by 1910, The portion of the 29,-
100000 going to the sinking fund will
increase from year to year, Of course,
as the principal on which interest
hss 20 ne paid is diminished.
There APE more than a dozen taels
in China. It is to be presume that
the tael of the indemnity Is the haik.
man tael, in terms Of which the Gus
toms accounts are kept The value OF
this tael is about "a cents.
This would make the amount of the
indemnity stated in our money $685.
100000 The amount to be raised
annually to extinguish this debt
would be about $l7OOO,OOO For the
first year about $lS,OOOOOO of this
will be required TO pay interest and
$4OOOOOO will go to the sinking
fund.
The proportion going to the sink
ing fund Is sufficient 10 extinguish the
principal easily by 1910 If the entire
amount raised annually for ;he debt
is kept close to S17,OOO,OOO
There is no reason to doubt that the
people Of China could easily bear
this added burden If there could be
something like honesty in collecting
and managing the internal revenues
of the empire. Unless those most
familiar with Chinese affairs are
greatly mistaken the officials appro-
PIRATE to their own use as enormous
amount of The taxes collected which
ought TO go into the public treasury.
II the amount stolen could be ap.
piled TO the liquidation Of the in
demnity indebtedness probably the
actual burden borne by the taxpayers
would not be greatly Increased.
There Is not much reason to hope
that any important reform in the
Chinese revenue service can be Ell
fected There is more reason to ap-
prehend that the more the taxes the
more win be the stealings.
Part Of the money for indemnity
purposes viii come from customs du
ties. These duties are collected un.
der the direction Of a British head
OF the customs service and there IS nc
reason to doubt that they are honestly
collected and applied to the public
uses TO which the yare devoted.
II is the larger portion OF the in
creased taxation which will be collect
ed by the Chinese officials them
selves that is likely TO fail 20 react