The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-04-09

lea Willing 10 Lead in Cutting
Down the Estimates of Damages
The claims of the Powers for indemni-
" from China have all been laid before
the foreign representatives, at Pekin. ac
cording TO advices received at the State
Department today from Special Commits
sioner RockhiH- They aggregate about
$500. Gee, Geo, an amount which this Gov
eminent is satisfied China cannot pay
Secretary Hay this afternoon. accord
ingIy, sent Instructions to Mr.. RockhiI
to insist strenuously that the aggregate
indemnity should not exceed 500. 100000.
and to use his endeavors % keep it down
to half that amount. This Government
has ascertained on enquiry that China
VIII be able to pay $2oo,000o0O, but that
she will be hard pressed to DO that 1t
waI be necessary to scale down the claims
OF the several Powers TO reasonable fig
ures
The American claims aggregate $4,000
600. but the Government is willing to cut
this down 10 as low as S5,0o9,0J0 if the
other Powers win make proportionate re-
auctions in their pecuniary demands
Nj RockkiH has been informed Of this
view OF the authorities here and directed
to devote his efforts in that direction.
The advices from Mr. Rockhnl show
that some of the small European nations
whose interests in China suffered very
little in the Boxer troubles have made
claims for indemnity out of all proportion
to the injury inflicted on their subjects
Tie United States viii object to these
claims on the ground that they are exor-
bitant.
Germany's claims aggregate more than
s7O.009. 900, The exact figures are not dis
closed here, but it is admitted that they
are between the amount named and s1o0,-
O00.0oo- It has been generally understood
heretofore that they would be in the
neighborhood of SIS, 900.
The information that has come TO the
State Department in regard to China's
ability to pay indemnity shows that the
Umpire is in such bad condition finan-
ciany that the payment of any claims of
the Powers will be a great burden There
is a disposition in Government circles here
10 hope that the Powers will awake to
realization OF this fact and scale their
claims 10 comparatively low amounts
1t is said in official circles that the
American Government Will be satisfied if
China is not compelled to make any
pecuniary returns TO the Powers beyond
indemnities for the destruction of for
eign property and the injuries inflicted
on foreign citizens and subjects. This
Ienient suggestion is based on the ground
that China has already been punished
sufficiently for the occurrences of last
summer and that the foreign nations can
get back the money expended in sup
pressing the disturbances through add
tioIlal trade advantages
It is said to be/the general opinion of
Administration officials that the demands
for indemnities are exorbitant and that
a policy OF moderation is imperatively
needed
An hour was devoted to a discussion Of
the subject by the President and the mem
bers Of the Cabinet at the regular meet
ing today
Strong arguments are being used by this
Government in negotiations with the
Powers against the exacting Of an excess
i've sum of money on account of the Box
er outrages. and (. appears from these ne
gotiations that the United States stands
almost alone in advocating a policy of
moderation.
It was said today that the negotiations
TO secure a less radical policy had. up TO
this time, resulted in nothing of an en-
couraging nature, and that the foreign
Powers seemed bent On claiming the
maximum amounts named as reprisals for
the wrongs committed against the people
Of the legations missionaries. and prop
erty in China.
It is said by officials here that the dan
gers Of actual civil war in China ought
also TO weigh heavily in the balance when
the question of indemnity is considered.
for serious internal troubles would assur-
-edly affect in an adverse manner the
ability Of the Chinese Government to pay
the foreign claims.
RUSSIA AND CHINA FRTENDTV