Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-14
Government in a Quandary
Over Chinese Indemnity.
WILL HAVE A SURPLUS
ABOUT $22, oOo, 900 WILL BE LEFT
UNExPENDED.
It is Suggested That the Money Be
Consular and Diplomatic officials.
BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.

Written for The Evening Star and the chicago
Record Herald.
Secretary Hay has a perplexing problem
before him in the disposition of the in
demnity paid by the Emperor of China to
the government of the United States for
the losses suffered by American citizens In
China during the Boxer troubles, and the
cost of the military expedition which we
sent to the relief of the besieged legations
in Picking.
After peace was restored the Department
of State was called upon by the other pow
ers to present its claim for indemnity. The
same notice was sent to eleven nations 1t
impossible to reach even an approx
mate estimate, and the best Secretary Hay
could do was to follow the example of other
governments and make rough guess as to
the expenses of the army and the navy.
The claims filed by American citizens and
the missionary boards were, of course, more
accurate and tangible and the sum of 34,-
600, 900 taels-a tael being about rs cents In
our money-was the amount named. Our
private claims amounted to about $2,OOO,OOO,
but under our system of accounting neither
the army nor the navy could render any
thing like statement of expenditures. 1t
would be necessary to take into the calcu-
lation not only the pay of the troops, the
cost of their clothing and rations. their
arms and ammunition, their transportation
ana all IOTHS Oh supplies, bUl diSO Tic pay
ment of pensions for deaths and disabilities
growing out of the Chinese expedition.
Rough Guesses Made.
Nor was it easier for other governments
to estimate the amount of their expendi-
lures for the same reason. But all of them
made rough guesses and rendered their
claims, except Russia. The representatives
of the car explain with great JUNCTION that
his majesty never demanded or accepted In
demnity for any purpose. A few months
later, however, when the Chinese refused to
sign what is known as the Manchuria
agreement" which literally turned over
that province to the Russians, the car
changed his habits and brought In claim
for 1S0.0O0.0O0 taels, which was more than
twice as much as any other nation had de-
handed The other powers would not sup
port such an exaggerated demand and the
claim of Russia was afterward cut down
about one-third The eleven estimates
footed up about 4oO,OOO,OOO taels, and the
dean of the diplomatic corps made a de-
mand for that amount upon the Chinese
government in behalf of his own and ten
other nations. The Chinese made no pro-
lions, nor did they ever seek to secure
reduction of the demands, although the
powers expected that they would do SO,
is invariably the practice, and the estimates
were made larger than they might have
been had not the powers expected China to
beg to have them cut down.
The government would have been en-
tirely satisfied with a sufficient sum to
cover the losses suffered by the mission
aries and other citizens. The President and
Secretary Hay never intended to demand
more than that. But when the emperor
conceded the amount demanded without
question there was alternative for the
United States but to accept It's allotment,
because otherwise the money would have
been divided among European nations. The
reason for the prompt and unexpected con-
cession of the Chinese was the emperors
eagernesS to get rid of the foreign devils
that had invaded the celestial empire and
were still encamped about the forbidden
city and other parts of Picking. He was
also anxious to return from the interior,
where he had taken refuge with his court,
to his ordinary residence in that city
Hence the indemnity was granted without
investiga ton or specifica ton or conference
and undoubtedly twice as much as 1t
should have been.
Claims of the Powers.
Like the United States, Japan was very
modest She had sent the largest army.
fully - 900 men, and had done the hardest
work. They led the march to the rescue of
Picking, and did most of the fighting but
her claim was only about one-fourth that of
Russia and one-third that of Germany.
which did comparatively little The Rus
sian force, however, was second in strength
to that of Japan, and consisted of about
5000 men. while the United States, England
and France had about $500 each Germany
came late, after the hardest work was over
with a force of nearly 10000 men. Italy.
Belgium and Austria did practically moth
Ing and suffered the least of any of the ma
ticularly Italy, which demanded more than
u 900 600 taelS The following wera tho