The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-11-26
Copyrighted by the Associated Press.

Copyrighted by the Associated Press.
LONDON. Nov. 25.-As a result of the
United States request to the powers for
assurances regarding the maintenance of
the ''open door in China, the Associated
Press is able to say that negotiations
have been. entered into looking, to more
permanent and important international
agreement than yet mooted.. Though the
greatest official reticence is observed at
all the capitals regarding this secret
movement, there is good ground for be-
leving that the negotiations have reach
ed a hopeful stage
According to reports current here in
consequence of Russia and France fail
ing to reply satisfactorily to Washing
toms request, the United States decided
to take up the Chinese question still
more vigorously. The cooperation Of
Great Britain to this end, it is said, Is
assured, and as the initiative of the
United States movements were set on
foot to secure not only assurances to
the United States, but a definite agree
ment between the European powers
themselves. Such an understanding to
the average European statesman has
long seemed Utopian, yet today the As
sociated Press is informed, on good au-
thority, there are fair chances Of Great
Britain, Russia, Germany and Japan, in
conjunction with the United States, be-
coming sgnatories to a treaty delimitat-
ing the spheres of political influence in
China, and determining their fiscal pol
| icy In that quarter of the globe based
4;,oI0
Such is the scope of the negotiations.
| The projected arrangement may be retro
active as regards territory; in other
words, districts now controlled, for in
stance may change hands in return for
! other privileges. France, apparently, has
exhibited the greatest opposition to this
| plan so far, but assurances have been re-
ceived7 from Russia, and her apparent
willingness to enter into an agreement
with the United States as the leading
| factor has given rise to the belief that
| France is not necessarily a stumbling
block, for if Russia entered into the
| agreement, France, it is asserted, is al
most bound to follow, or render herself
| powerless in the far East.
1t is understood that the United States,
! Great Britain and Japan have already
had a perfect understanding. Germany s
decision was greatly influenced by the
emperor, who has had frequent confer
! ences on this far Eastern problem while
| in England with Mr.. Joseph H. Choate,
the United States ambassador. At the
queens banquet Mr. Choate conversed
at length with the emperor, and, it is
said, chiefly confined himself to the
| question
1t is scarcely probable that any official
or semi official reference will be made
! to this important undercurrent which
| progresses publicly under the guise OF
| merely giving assurance to the United
| States until it has progressed so far as
to preclude any hitch. In case of the
! failure of the negotiations it is probable
the public would never know how near
| the great powers came to settling great
| question.
TRANSVAAL WAR DWINDLES.
The Transvaai war becomes of momen-
| tary interest compared with the tremen-
dous possibilities dependent upon the
| exertionS, which are now occupying the
diplomats of Europe, and the war itself
| has now reached a stage where British
| interest itself somewhat flags. The relief
| of Ladysmith, Mafeking ard Kimberley
is necessarily clothed in secret which is
only broken by the news of desultory en-
gagements. The past week seems to have
altered but little the condition described
in these dispatches. Even II Gen White
holds out until relieved, it will only re
move picturesque phase of the cam
palgn, and does not mean that 1t will
hasten its speedy end. The Beers. IL is
claimed, are not likely to risk the decid.
ing battle of the war until they have got
Gen. Buffers invading force into a posi-
tion believed to be favorable to them. q,
Continued on Sixth Page,