Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1899-05-04
WILL NOT AFFECT
THE UNITED STATES
Anglo Russian Agreement in Regard
to China Not Detrimental
to America.
POSSIBLE 1T WILL BENEFIT US
The State Department Informed
Unonicially OF the Compact
Between the Two
Powers.

Washington, May 4.--The reported
understanding between Great Britain
and Russia regarding their spheres of
| financial and commercial influence in
China is not regarded by the admins
| tration as injurious to the interests of
| the United States. There would be
little question in any case of the sccur-
| lty OF American interests in any pOr-
| ton of China under British authority,
| because of the liberal commercial pol
icy which is pursued by Great Britain.
| The present understanding is regard
ed by diplomatic circles as Il concession
by Russia, that she will not continue
to make protests at Picking against the
investment of British capital and the
activity of British engineers and tinan-
ciers i'm the Yang-'lse valley. From
this point of view, the gain is entirely
ON the side of Great Britain. She had
practically given up interference with
Russian plans in Manchuria, so that an
agreement not to oppose Russian
financial influence there was AN easy
one to grant.
The position of the United States in
Manchuria is not regarded as essen
have been il the agreement had not
been made. Great Britain may relax
somewhat her zeal for the open door
i'm the Russian and German spheres of
influence, but there is little trade of
sian government continues to give
friendly assurances regarding its atti-
tude toward American interests. 1t is
Il. I,r
mcnt will cndeavor to exercise para
mount political influence over north
ern China. but the address of M. DE
W:tte, the finance minister, referred
to in the Associated Press dispatches,
admitting the necessity for foreign
capital i'm Russia, is believed to be the
governing policy of the present admin
istration.
Count Cassini, the Russian ambas-
sador here, has persistently assured
Secretary Hay that there was no in
tention to interfere with American
trade i'm Russia any more than with
the trade of other countries which
might land i'm Siberia articles of high
value in the development of the re-
sources of the country. The United
States occupy SO advantageous posi-
ton and are leading the world so
completely i'm the export of machinery
and agricultural implements that an
opening in Siberia is likely to be
found if the tariff duties are not en-
trcmc. These duties have been very
high in the past, but the policy which
NJ De White pursucs of developing the
economic resources in the country
may cause a reduction of duties when
it becomes apparent that Russian in
tcrests will be promoted thereby.
Americans are not encountering any
determinations i'm bids for furnishing
rails, iron bridges and locomotives for
the new government railway in Rus
STA and Siberia, and the state depart
mcnt officials do not appear to feel JUS
tilted in protesting against protective
duties while similar policy is pur-
department was not consulted by
either Great Britain OF Russia i'm the
negotiations for the understanding
just reached. This is not considered
an affront, but as an Indication that
the interests of the United States were
not considered by Great Britain to be
affected. Tie Japanese government
has been watching events closely in
China and would suffer directly more
than the United States if a policy of
absolute exclusion were adopted at
Port Arthur or in Siberia. The Japan
csc have large share of the coal trade
and the shipment of finished goods to
Asatic Russia and are not complaint
the high tariff duties.
The Japanese minister here received
no preliminary advices from his gov
eminent regarding the new agree
ment but confidence is felt at the le-
CATION that the negotiations would
have been known and would have been
communicated to him from the for
eign office in Toxic if they had i'm
paired Japanese interests on the Ash
attic continent. The state department
has not recently received any new in
formation from Minister Conger at
Picking nor from ST. Petersburg nor
Vienna regarding the open door policy
at Port Arthur and Kiao-Chau. The
pledge of the German and Russian gov
ernnents that the open door should
be maintained has not been with
drawn, nor have any affirmative steps
been taken to put it in force.
Substance of Agreement.
st. Petersburg, May 4.-The Anglo
Russian agreement with reference to
spheres of influence i'm China is not in
the form of a convention, but is set
forth in note. duplicates of which
have been exchanged between the Rus
sian minister for foreign affairs, Count
Muravieff, and the British Ambassa-
dor to Russia, Rt. Hon. Sir Charles S.
Scott. The preamble states that both
countries agree to uphold the integ-
rity and independence of the Chinese
empire.
London, May 3.-The marquis of
Salisbury, prime minister and minis
ter of foreign affairs. and A. j. Bal
four, first lord of the treasury, an
nounced in the house of lords and in
the house of commons, respectively,
the general drift of the Anglo-Russian
agreement regarding the spheres of
influence of the governments of Great
Britain and Russia in China, as they
have already been made known. Lord
Salisbury said he hoped Russia would
consent TO the publication of the text
of the agreement when it arrived in a