Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1902-07-31
THE HAGUE MAY DECIDE
Talk Of Sending Chinese Indemnity
Dispute to Tribunal There.
WOULD TEST COURTS POWER
II China Demands Such Action, She
Will BE Supported by the United
states, England, Japan and
Perhaps Germany.

Washington, July 81. 1t is within
the bounds of probability that the is
sue that has arisen between the pow
ers interested in China rs to the me-
dium in which the indemnitioS are to
be paid will be settled by reference to
| The Hague tribunal. II is now an
nounced that under no circumstances
| will the United States government be
forced into the position occupied by
some Of the powers who demand pay
ment from China Oh the gold basis,
and there are assurances of steadfast
support for the United States in this
contention from some of the most pow
erful governments concerned in the
Ieking agreement.
Owing to this dsa grecment the prop
OSitiOn is advanced to refer the whole
subject to The Hague tribunal. China
was one of the original signatories to
The Hague convention and is there
fore in position to demand a refer
ence of this question. and if the Chi
nese demand is supported. as it will
be by the United States. England and
Japan, with perhaps Germany, there
is every reason to believe that there
will be afforded an opportunity to test
the utility of The Hague tribunal on Il
great issue.
Minister WI was in consultation dur
ing the day at the state department
with Acting Secretary Hill on this and
other matters.
PInns For Chinese Treaties.
1t Is said here that the commercial
treaty between Great Britain and
China, just approved at conference
at the London foreign office, is to
serve as Il pattern for similar treaties
to be negotiated by the other powers
with China. BY the terms of the
Picking agreement each of the powers
is to have equal trade advantages and
privileges in China. and it was rrcog-
nized at the time of signature that
Great Britain, with her large trade in
terests in the east. probably would be
the first nation to conclude treaty.
1t is probable that the United States
and the other powers signing the
Pekirg agreement will conclude treat
les on the same lines so that instead of
the composite agreement as to trade
privileges embodied in the Peking
treaty each of the powers will have
its own convention with China on the
question OF commercial relations.
The revision which Great Britain
proposes to China in the I; de treaty,
it is said. extends to nearly every
point in which the United States is in
tcreSted, from the registration and pro-
lection of trademarks, the creation of
a national currency and the extension
of the bonded warehouse system to the
reform of the Shanghai mixed court
and the abolition of all internal taxa
ton, whether native or foreign or for
import or export. If the provisions
which will be embodied in the British
treaty as it is finally concluded meet
the views and wishes of this govern
ment, the United States may accept it
under the most favored nation"
clause, but if the results obtained by |
Great Britain fall short of this govern
ments expectations. then the United |
States may push separate negotiations |
and conclude Il treaty of its own.