Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1901-04-10
THE GENEROSITY
OF UNCLE SAM
Disposition to Deal Literally
With China.
TO CUT DOWN OUR CLAIM

Efforts Being Made to Induce Euro
pean Powers to Do Likewise-Evils
Which Might Follow Should Euro
peans Insist Upon Heavy Indemnities.
WASHINGTON, April 9.-The state de.
partment has heard further from Mr..
Rockhul, our special commissioner al
Peklng, touching the effort making to
reach an agreement respecting the in.
demnlty to be demanded from the Chi.
nese government. Mr.. Rockhill's pres.
ent effort, acting under directions from
Secretary Hay, is to induce the minis.
ters OF other powers to keep down the
total of their claims to the amount
which the financial experts, headed by
Sir Robert Hart, have decided to be
within the ability of China to pay. The
United States government has felt that
on no occasion should the total indem.
nifty claim exceed $40, 900, 900 sterling,
and has steadfastly sought to make that
figure the outside limit of the claim
For itself, the state department claims
$25, 900, 600 indemnity, and it has sup
piled Mr.. Rockhill with data for the
publication of an itemized account
showing the expenditures made by the
government of the United States in the
transportation of our military contin.
gent to China, its maintenance there
and the just claims of the missionaries
who were American citizens and suffer
ed in property and person from the out
break
Willing to Cut 1t Down.
In its anxiety to avoid expressing
China and to secure speedy settlement
Of the Chinese question, the United
States government stands willing to
make heavy cut in it's claim. provided
the other nations represented at Peking
will abate their claims in proportion.
1t is entirely possible that if Mr.. Rock
hill can induce the other ministers to
make cut of so per cent in their in.
demnity claims he will do so, though
the apparent result be the loss to the
United States of $12, 500, 900.
The administration is satisfied that
the great danger of the situation at Pc.
king lies in delay. Had the representa-.
tiOns of Mr.. Rockhill been needed, the
officials are confident that the formida.
BILE rebellion which has now broken out
under the lead of General Tung Flu
Sian, in Shen ST province, would never
have occurred Mr.. Rockhill has salts.
fed himself that the Chinese govern.
ment was absolutely sincere when it
pleaded inability to punish this great
general and Prince Tung in the full
measure demanded by the powers.
1t is thought here that more modest
demands could have been met by the
Chinese government and the rebellion
averted. The indemnity question also
has consumed an unconscionable length
of time, and if it had been settled ssy.
eral week, or even months ago, the pres.
ent difficulty, it is believed, would have
been impossible.
1t is the hope, therefore, of the Off
cials here that Tung Flu Sian s move.
ment will stimulate the tagging minis.
ters at Peking to final action. If it does
not, if the court is obliged to flee from
Sian Flu, and the great Yang Use vice.
roys are overslaughed by General Tung
Flu Sian, as seems probable, then all
China will be plunged in anarchy, in
the estimate of the officials here.