The bee., 1901-03-28
SITUATION At T|EN IS|N.
Satisfaction at Washington Over
Its Clearing Without Loss of
Honor to Either Side.
TROUBLESOME iAOsMAlTY QUESTION,
The United states Inclined q" lie.
Riency ns Far as - Can be Ccnsis-
tentiy Stretched, hut Not to the
Extcnt of Loss of Prestige Of Re-
strnining indueace.

Washington. March %. Although
the situation at Tien Tsin was novci
Regarded here as really dangerous
the officials felt that prolongntion
OF he hostile attitude of the British
and Russian forces might lead 10
trouble IN the end, so that the news
OF the arrangement by which both
of the powers are enabled to rcccdc
from their positions without loss of
horror, was we'll received here. With
this exciting issue withdrawn the
Chinese trouble has assumed less
mcnacing aspect, and 1t is reported
that the ministers have been able,
leaving in allegiance the troublesome
subject of indemnities. to make some
headway toward the disposition OF
the points remaining to be adjusted
under the articles subscribed to by
China and the powers as the basis
for the Joint meeting ut Pekin.
The Indemnity Question.
Further inquiry into the indemnity
question makes it appear that the
sum of 5000, ,0O0, 900 which our govern
mcBt considers the maximum that
should believed upon the Chinese ms
"a taX. represents absolutely the limit
of Chinese ability, according to the
calculations of the officials best in
formed as to the resources of China
The figure named does not represent
The aggregate of the indcmnitich
claimed. On the contrary. il is un-
derstood that these arc very much
larger. The United States fixed upon
the sum of %25,O00.O00 as suitable in
demnity 30 be claimed. notwithstanG.
ing that officials Of the various dc.
partments are satisfied that this sum
will only provide for the payment OF
a certain PERCENTAGE OF the items
claimed, because ii was felt that this
was as much as we should claim pro.
portionatcly of the total OF $2O0.0O0,.
O0O.
The DasiS at Division.
it is not the intention to divide this
S@00,0O0,o00 into as many equal parts
as there are powers, but while divid-
ing II into eight or ten parts, to see
to it that these parts are so proper
toned as to compensate the powers
in accordance with the outlay they
have been put ON suppressing the
Boxer troubles. This government
would be willing to abatc the Se5,.
100000 claim If the other powers
would reduce their claims in the same
proportion, even to the text of, reduc-
ing. the total estimate to $lOO, ,00O, 900
If by so doing the Chinese govern.
ment' could be relieved by having the
tax adjusted to their abilities.
We Must Lose No Prestige.
But although in grave doubt wheth.
er China can pay more than SlOO, ,O00,-
900 our government feels itself bound
20 secure compensation for its citi.
gems and itself to the same extcut as
IS secured by other powers, and is cs-
pecially resolved to do this because
of the conviction that a total aban-
donmcnt of our claims, or even a
heavy reduction without correspond.
inF action on the part of the other
powers, would rather injure than help
China by destroying whatever of re-
straining influence the state depart.
mcnt has so far been able to exert
upon less sympathetic powers.