Show ouR PART IN QINA Role Played by Uncle Sam in Conference in Peking ROCKHILL SUMMARIZES IT Report of Special Commissioner on His Work in Connection With the Negotiations in the Chinese Capital Capi-tal Is Made Public While United States ULaintoined Complete Independence Inde-pendence It Wns Enabled to Act Harmoniously in the Concert of the Powers and Eelained Friendship Washington Dec 12The longex peeLed report of Special Commissioner Rockhill to the Secretary of State on the results of his work In connection with the Chinese negotiations in Peking has been submitted to Congress along with the full text of the protocol which ha been l already published and j mass of detailed statements It was upon this report that the President based his commendatory reference to Mr HOck lulls work In his recentlypublished message to Congress Beginning by detailing tho conditions under which hu come to l > e appointed la July 1800 United States commissioner to China Rockhill tolls of visits he made to the Viceroys of Shanghai and Wu Chang which ho said did not a little to fur Ihor tho Interests of peace Mr Rock hill says ho fully concurred In all the measures that Minister Conger had been and was advocating These negotiations extended ovor a period of fourteen months and Mr Kockhlll thus summarizes sum-marizes the results In addressing Secre tary Hay HayRESULTS RESULTS SUMMARIZED The circular note which you telegraphed on July 3 1900 to our embassies In Europe Eu-rope and to our missions In Vienna Brussels Brus-sels Madrid Toklo The Hague and Lis bon defined the policy already then adopted by the United States in the settlement set-tlement of affnirrf In China and from which they never departed Bearing theso Instructions always In mind tho task of the agents of our Government In Poking was a comparatively ana one Throughout the negotiations our object was to uso the Influence of our Government Govern-ment In the Interest of Justice and moderation mod-eration utah In a spirit of equal friendship friend-ship to the powers negotiating jointly with us and the Chinese nation DEMANDS UPON CHINA Tho twelve demands made by the pow OIR on China tho ncconrmllshmcnl of which was deemed necessary for tho restoration ot normal relations with that country and which weio embodied In the joint note of December r ir J900 may bo classified under four heads First Adequate punishment for the authors au-thors of and those guilty of actual par ticipation In the antiforeign massacres and riots Secoild Tho adoption of measures necessary ne-cessary to prevent their recurrence Third Tho indemnification for losses sustained l > y slates and foreigners through these riots Fourth Tho Improvement of our relations rela-tions both official and commercial with the Chinese Government and wltlv China generally PUNISHING THE PERPETRATORS As regards tIme punishment of the responsible re-sponsible authors and actual perpetrators of the antiforeign outrages the Government Govern-ment of the United States while Insisting that nil such should be held to the utmost accountability declncd to determine In every case the nature of the punishment to be Indicted and maintained that the Chinese Government Itself should in all cases carry them out As oon as tho chief culprits had been punished considering the terrible losses In life and property sustained by Chlnu not only through the Boxers and their adherents but by the destruction of Tien Tsln Pelting and the military occupation of a largo portion of the province of ChiLI Chi-LI the United States threw the weight of its Inlluenco the side of moderation and till prevention of further bloodshed To this It was mainly duo that the long lists of proscription which had been prepared by the representatives of the powers of Chinese in the provinces charged with participation In tho massucro or riots were repeatedly revised before the presentation pre-sentation to the Chinese Government The demands for capital punishment wero ilnnll reduced from ten to four and many names erroneously or on Insutllclent evidence evi-dence placed on iho lists were removed or lighter forms of punishment asked for numbers of those left on them POLICY OF UNITED STATES hllc seoklng with tho other powors tho best means to prevent the recurrence of such troubles and to guard In the fu arc American residents in Peking from such dangers us they had passed through the United States did not lend its support to any plan which contemplated either tIm prolonged occupation by foreign troops of any portions or points In China or the erection of an International fort In the city of Peking from which to carryon carry-on friendly relations with time Chinese Government Our policy has always been In favor of a strong Independent and le aponslblo Chinese Government which can and will bo held accounlablOsfor the maintenance of order and tho protection of our citizens and their rights under tho treaties Throughout tho negotiations wo strictly adhered to this Just principle with results which have proved beneficial to all TRADE AND INDEMNITY As regards the trade point of the negotiations nego-tiations the equitable Indemnification of the varlourt states for time losses and expenses ex-penses incurred by l them In China and In sending expeditionary forces to rolleve the legations and foreign residents at Peking nnd restore order and also tho securing of Indemnities to societies companies and individuals for their private losses through the antiforeign riots the oov crnment of the United Stales advocated hat I th6 sum total oC these indemnities should not exceed a reasonable amount well within the power of China to pay After careful inquiry you reached the conclusion that with her present resources re-sources and capabilities China could not pay as Indemnities to the powers moro than two hundred million of dollars and that tho exaction of any larger amount would not only entail permanent financial embarrassment on the country but might possibly result in either international financial control or oven loss of territory HAYS INSTRUCTIONS The representative of the United Slates was Instructed accordingly and he WHS further told that In time opinion oC our Government time amount should be asked of China by the powers Jointly without detail or explanation and afterward divided di-vided among them according to their lossts and disbursements You also slated that I overy facility of payment should bo accorded China and that the debt should ho paid by bonds Issued at par and bear big 3 per cent interest and running for thirty or forty years Though It became necessary after protracted pro-tracted dlocusslon In time conference to accept the proposition of the other powers pow-ers to deapand of China the sum total of their lOSSeS and disbursements reuclilUg Ihii enormous sum of 300000OCO over Inslslonco In pressing for a much lower sum and time weight of Limo arguments adduced In favor of such a policy resulted Inclosing the Indemnities at the above lump sum when they bid tfalr to go on swelling IndOllnltcly ThltS and the no ceptanco ot you suggestion that the Indemnities In-demnities bo paid in bonds issued at par and boating a low rate of Interest 4 percent per-cent was finally agreed upon and running run-ning for forty years resulted In saving a vast suni to China Imstincil the evacuation evacua-tion of time country IjV theexpeditionary foriex and Inn restoration ov order nnd of normal relations with the Chinese Gov ornmont REVENUES APPLICABLE In connection with the question of Indemnity In-demnity 1 should particularly mention 4 that It had proved nocefwary to the pow ers In their search for revenues applicable to 1 tho sorvlco 9f the Indemnity debt that tho existing nominal 5 per cent ad valorem customstariff on foreign Imports should bo made an effective b per cent nd va InriMii time United Slate mindful of the furtherance of lawful commerce In China 111 tlih Interests of thrt world and bolleV lag that nt opportunity should bo lost to Kccuro to foreign trade I all tho I facilities KH vast Importance entitles It to and that any additional I tax on trade should bo mot by commercial compensation on tIme L part of China of < qiml value declined to consent to the nbovo increase of the customs cus-toms tariff on Imports unless first nil I he treaty powers h and China agreed to cooperalo In time longdcslrod improve menLot time water approaches to Shang hal and Tien Tsln and second that apc I cHle duties should bo substituted for the present ad valorem ones In time tariff on foreign Imports Both theso conditions wero ultimately agreed on TSUNGLIYAMEN ABOLISHED No divergence of views existed fortunately fortu-nately between time representatives of tIme powers on Limo question of Improving tho channels of direct communication between be-tween them and the Chinese Government The longvcxed question of the ceremonial ceremo-nial to bo observed In the private audiences granted by tim Emperor of China to foreign for-eign representatives was finally fettled by tho plenipotentiaries of tho powers perfectly per-fectly satisfactory to all parties to the negotiations rPho TsungHYamcn or Bureau of Foreign Affairs which cxporl oncu of forty vcnrs had shown Chinese and foreigners alike was unwieldy and Incapable Inca-pable of discharging time duties devolving upon It Avas altered in the way suggested by time conference changed Into a responsible re-sponsible Ministry of Foreign Affairs and organized on lines similar to those adopted in every other country of the world FRIENDSHIP OF ALL RETAINED Such in brief has been the role played by tho United States In the conference of Peking While wo maintained complete Independence wo were able to act harmoniously harmo-niously In time concert of powers the ex Istcnco of which was so essential to the prompt and peaceful settlement of time I situation wo retained time friendship of U1 the negotiating powers exerted a salutary Influence In the cause of moderation modera-tion humanity and Justice secured ade quato reparation for wrongs done our clt IKOIIS guarantees for their future protection protec-tion and labored successfully In the Interests In-terests of the whole world in the cause of equal I and impartial trade wjth all parts of Limo Chinese empire |