The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-12-31
ALL POWERS SAVE ITALY HAVE
RESPONDED FAVORABIY TO
AMERICAN SUGGESTION
GREAT BRITAIN WAS FIRST
GERMANY CAME NEXT, THEN
FRANCE FOLLOWED, AND FL
NALLY RUSSIA AND JApAN
ITALY WILL LIKELY CONCUR
Powers Were Disposed TO Resent the
Prompt AcquIescence of Great
Bfitain, ON the Ground That 1T
Made the Whole Arrangement An
pear Like Joint AngIO-American
WOrA-OrientaI Trade Assured

Nude the Whole Arrangement An
pear Like Joint AngIO-Amerfcam
WOri1-OrientaI Trade Assured.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 30.-The ne.rotia.
tions opened by Secretary Hay with the
great powers of Europe, and with Japan.
towards securing a common understand
ing Tor continued open door policy
throughout China, have met with most
gratifying results. The state department.
is unwilling at present to make pubIic
the nature Of the replies received, as this
information will be embodied in a special
message to congress- But In other quar-
ters, thoroughly reliable, and likely to
nave accurate and trustworthy informa-
ton, 1t is learned that favorable re-
sponses have been made by Great Brit
ain, Germany, France and Russia the
russian communication coming as late
as yesterday and Japan. There IS no
doubt, 1t Is thought, that Italy, the re-
manning country addressed, will make
favorable answer, if indeed 1t has not
already done so. The position of Ita1v
Is felt to be assured by the favorable
course adopted by the other great pow
ers of Europe.
The importance Of this unanimous YER
dict by all the frst-class powers of the
world-Great Britain, Russia, Germany.
France, Italy and Japan, in conjunction
with the United States-can hardly be
overestimated so far as 1t relates to the
future of China and the commerce of
the world in that empire The state de-
rartment is loath to discuss the far
reaching results when the agreement
reaches the stage of formal consumma-
ton, for each favorable response is con-
ditioned upon the favorable action Of
all the other parties, so that in each
case the negotiations may be regarded
as short of absolute flnality But while
the department is silent, the details come
from sources believed to be fully con,
versant with what has occurred.
GREAT BRITAIN FIRST.
According to this information, the
British answer was the first to be sub
mitted, and was exceptionally compre-
! hensiVe and explicit in yielding to every
suggestion made by the United States
relative to maintaining the freest entry
to the ports of China.
The British answer is said to emphasize
the concurrence with the United States
by adopting word for word much Of the
phraseology employed by Secretary Hay
when he addressed his original note to
Great Britain and the other powers The
wording is such as to make plain that
the British government concurs for the
present a-,d hereafter, without limita tion
in policy of free access to China
Although much secrecy was Observed
in-the transmission of the British answer,
its general purpOrt became known at the
other European capitals, and there was
not little irritation at what was regard
ed as q preciDitate response, purposeiy
designed to embarrass the continental
! powers by showing Great Britain and
the United States acting in concert, while
the rest of the world held aloof But this
situation was made much more satis>
factory to the continental powers by
their determination to act for themselves
GERMANY NEXT.
Germany is said to have been the next
| pC1e to answer in the affirmative Ac.
cOrding to the information already re-
ferred to, tie German answer was rather
| more vague than the one which had pre-
ceded it, but its general tendency was
favorable, the Cnly condition being that
| ary arrangement as tc free access to
] China should be universal and aSsenteI
! to ny all of the powers
! The French answer is understood to
have come next, and the circumstances
| attending it were rather peculiar. and not
| In the nature Of a direct answer, although
| the result was regarded as most salts
| factory. Secretary Hays note had been
| forwarded to Gen. Horace Porter. the
| United States ambassador TO France who
promptly called upon NJ Delcasse min
lster of foreign affairs in the French
cablnct. Gen. Porter made known his
mission, whereupon NJ. Delcasse showed
! the NEST sympathetic spirit and stated
! mat ne mad alreaoy made ample answer
| 10 just such communication, although
at the time he had rot intended If ae AZ,
answer to the American note. This
answer, NJ. Delcasse explained, Was given
In speech made by him in November in
! the French chamber The main D2int Of
his speech in reference to China was that
| France desired the most ample freedom
or commerce. M. Delcasse referred Gen
Porter 10 this speech, ana told him that
| 1t fully gave the assurance which the
| United States GesiI ed. 1t is said that the
meeting was gratifying on both sides and
| lhat the results We're considered to he a
favorable acceptance from France.
RUSSIA RATHER SLOW.
The Russian negotiations have nro-
! ceeded less briskly, so that 1t seemed for
| a time that Russia's attitude might nor
! be favorable. This was dissipated how
ever by the Russian ambassador. Comm
! ,Cassini, IN the course of interviews with
| Secretary Hay. On this occasion Count
| Cassinf pointed out that hurried an
swer was by no means the best evidence
! OF favorable attitude toward the Amer
lean proposition. but that Russia was
| proceeding with due deliberation in order
| to arrive at some solid ground for a
| permanent understanding. The Russians
We're desirous of weighing the many in
cidental questions involved-such as the
effect Of the understanding on the ter
ritory known as spheres of influence
as well as on the territory actually
leased to the foreign powers. such as
Talien Wan, Kiao Chau and the British
and French ports. Besides giving these
assurances Count Cassini showed person.
ally the most friendly spirit toward the
American proposition, as we'll as being
desirouj of giving an answer in this case
which would be another instance Of the
friendly cooperation long observed be-
tween Russia and the United States
The Russian position, it is understood
is similar to those preceding it with the
same condition that Russia alone shall
not be bound, but that all of the inter
ested countries shall join in the agree
ment to keep the ports of China forever
open.
In what order In the negotiations