| Show THAT THAT CHINESE INDEMNITY Many months month ago when President Roosevelt sent word to China that he would use his Influence with congress to secure the return to China of ar a t un unexpended unexpended unexpended expended balance amounting to sev several se several eral millions of or dollars from the Boxer Box r uprising indemnity China was grate grateful grateful grateful ful and the world applauded The gen general general eral oral opinion both In the United States and In other lands was that this would be both a just and a generous action Now the house of representatives pro proposes proposes proposes poses that the money be returned on condition that China devote it to edu educational I rational purposes This is having the I cake and eating It too in a sense Our own opinion is that it would wo ld be most ungenerous for congress to at attempt attempt attempt tempt to dictate any terns te s whatever in connection with the remission of the indemnity The money should be returned absolutely without condi conditions conditions or it should not be returned at atall atall atall all Our own opinion is that the course first suggested d Is the proper one If It the money were kept here it would be distributed among persona persons who wh it Jt has been decided after a careful investigation tion are not entitled to it Some of the claims made on that in indemnity indemnity Indemnity were bald attempts at graft grafting ratting ing This is shown by the tact act that one of them was scaled down from to and even een at the lat latter latter iatter ter figure the claimant was probably overpaid Other claims claim were vere cut down considerably the endeavor being not notto notto notto to assess punitive damages against China but to pay to each loser loset 10 the ex cx exact exact act amount of his hia losses The fact that other nations were overpaid does not in any way justify the tue United States in mulcting China for more than its share hare The very fact that individual Amer Americans Americans Americans were refused the full amoun amou of their claims when wh n there was vas enough and more than enough to pay the full amounts demanded by them is mighty strong evidence that their demands were wore exorbitant Clearly Cle China should receive the balance that is left leCt over oer and above aboe the total of or the revised ac accounts accounts accounts counts Here the United States has an opportunity to set an admirable exam example pie to the rest of the world It Is an example that could not fall fail to add glory to the flag and be an inspiration not only to Americans but to citizens of every land And If we desire to remove the mat matter matter matter ter from the field of sentimentalism and convey it to a coldly practical business plane it would still be advis advisable advisable advisable able to return the money For China offers immense possibilities pos to Ameri Amen American can exporters The friendly feeling that would be created by b sending back to the Flowery Kingdom these millions would be of Immensely more value than the millions themselves |
