AMERICAS ATTITUDE IN CHINA.

Southland Times, Issue 14813, 14 December 1900, Page 2

AMERICAS ATTITUDE IN CHINA.

(By 'Frisco Mail). [By Telkuhapil] Auckland, Dec. 13. America sooms to have been pushed into a prominent place in tho negotiations) of tho Powors with China, simply by a desire to keep her hands off. Minister Conger has been instructed from Washington not to agree to any scheme which seems to have tho ultimate purpose of tho partition of Chttia, and ta»th schemes so far proposed by the concert of Powers, though ostensibly innocent, are believed actually to lead up to such partition. It is maintained here that China eaimol pay more than two hundred million dollars indemnity. The European Powers wish to raise the figure to twice that sum. One plan is to secure each uajtiun by a mortgage on territory which would evontually inevitably have to be foreclosed upon. Another plan is that bonds given by China should bo secured by the Powers, which would in time of necessity have to be secured by the cession of territory. It is felt by officials in America that they can never accede to either of these arrangements, and, though (ireat Britain is growing restive because of delay in arranging matters at Pekil), it is cabled from Lonuou that England as well aw tlie other Powers will gradually come to such an agreement as is acceptable to the United States. It is said tho Powers regard the illness of the Czar at this critical period as a serums menace to the peace of the world. The Czar is felt to bo a moderating influence and a balance for the warlike Kaiser,