The Wichita tribune., 1898-11-26
THE open DOOR" POLICY.
Its Meaning and Operation as Ap-
piled to the Philippines.
PLAN is THOUGHT TO Be GOOD.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 25.-The tariff
policy for the Philippines was out
lined in the ultimatum presented to
the Spanish peace commissioners at
Paris, and the result has been irtense
! interest here as to the meaning OF the
''open door" theory for the Philip
pines.
Members of the cabinet say that this
''open door" policy is nothing more
nor less than the creation of a COM
plete tariff for and against the Philip
pine islands. The proposition us sub
mitted to Spain is in brief that the
United States will govern the Philip
pine islands, but do it in such a way
as to put all the nations on earth on
an equality as far as general conpeti-
tiOn is concerned.
A tariff will be created for the Phil
| ippine islands which will operate
against the United States exactly the
same as against all other nations, at
least for the period of a year. The
ordinary tariff laws of the United
States will be applied to impOrtations
from the Philippines exactly as if the
islands were foreign country. In
this way all European countries will
stand on par with the United States
in the Philippines SO far as customs
duties are concerned The imports of
the island will, of course, seek the
most profitable market, Independent
Of any question of political allegiance.
The United States will, however, as
matter of course, collect and dis
Durse the revenues derived from du-
tics on exports sent by its own citi-
zens, as well as by those Of other ma
tions. This is, in short, to produce an
independent revenue for the Philip
pine group, so that the islands may
become at once self-supporting, and
not burden on the United States.
The ''open door policy and the offer
of SEQ, 900, 900 to Spain as indemnity
for local improvements in the island
are part of the same general plan, it
being figured out that the customs
duties in advance of the ordinary ex-
penses of government will, within a
short time, pay this unusual inde1h-
nifty.
This "open door" proposition
is expected by the administra-
ton to be protection against
the cheap labor of the Philippines,
at least for term of years, until
! \ assses--
the same time the operation of tariff
against the United States, as well as
all other nations, will, it is believed,
deprive Spain of all hope OF European
intervention, for the European nations
know that under Spanish control they
would always be Disseminated against;
while under the proposed "open door"
thev could trade with the islands on
an absolute equality with this country.
MADRID, Nov. 24..--A scmi-official
note issued to-day contains an appeal
to the Spaniards to furnish assistance
to save the national credit ''if they do
not wish foreign capital to be with
drawn from Spain"
The note adds: ''Sonc people be-
lieve Cuba ought to assume her own
debt. no matter in whose hands is her
sovereignty, because she herself pos
sesses the security therefor in the form
of the customs. If, however, nobody
will assume the debt, Spain must pay
what Cuba can not, because Spain
made herself responsible"
Continuing, the note reads: "With
regard to the debt of the Philippine |
Islands, Spain must await a definite
treaty of peace in order to know what
conditions America will impose upon
Spain through the Paris peace COM
missiOners