Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-11-29
ALMOST SETTLED.

Since the article i'm reply 10 the Col
umbia State, which appears in this
issue, was written, there has appeared
an Associated Press dispatch from
London, which seems to indicate a
satisfactory settlement of the open
door question. The dispatch was pub
llshed in the morning papers of Sun
day as follows:
AS result of the United States request
to the powers for assurances regarding the
maintainance of the "open door" in Chi
ma, the Associated Press is able to say that
negotiations have been entered into look
ing 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 believing that the negotiations have
reached hopeful stage. According TO
reports current here, in consequence OF
Russia and France failing to reply salts
factorily to Washington's request, the
United States decided to take up the Chi
nese question still more vigorously. The
cooperation of Great Britain to this end,
it is asserted, was secured, and upon the
initiative of the United States, efforts were
set on foot to secure not only assurances
to the United States !; but definite agree
ment between the European powers them
selves. Such an understanding to the av-
erage European statesman has long seem.
ed Utopian, yet today the. Associated
Press is Informed, OH good authority,
there are fair chances of Great Britain,
Russia, Germany and Japan, i'm conjunc-
ton with the United States, becoming
signatories to a treaty delimitating the
spheres Of political influence in China
and determining their fiscal policy in that
quarter of the globe, based on the "Open
door, principles. Such is the scope of
the negotiations. The projected arrange.
ment may be retroactive as regards ter
ritory in other words, districts now con-
trolled, for instance, by Russia, may
change hands i'm return for other privil-
eges. France, apparently, has exhibited
the greatest opposition to this plan so far /;
but assurances have been received from
Russia, and her apparent willingness to
enter into an agreement with the United
States rs the leading factor, has given rise
to the belief that France is not necessari.
ly stumbling block, for if Russia en-
tered into the agreement, France, it is as
serted, is almost bound to follow, or ren-
der herself powerless in the far East. 1t
is understood that the United States,
Great Britain and Japan have already ar
rived at a perfect understanding. Ger
many's decision was greatly influenced
by the Emperor, VINO has had frequent
conferences ON this far Eastern problem,
while in England, with Mr.. Joseph H.
Ch0ate, the United States ambassador.
At the queens banquet, Mr.. Choate con-
versed at length with the Emperor and,
it is said, chiefly confined himself to the
question of China. 1t is scarcely proba-
ble that any official or semi-Official ref
erence will be made to the important un-
der-current, which progresses publicly
under the guise of merely giving assur-
ance to the United States, until it has
assumed such shape that no hitch is pos
sible. In the event of the failure of the
negotiations, through the failure of Rus
sia or Germany, it is likely the world will
never know how near the great Powers
came to settling the greatest problem
of the century.
The State, no doubt, will claim this
as confirmation Of its reasonable,
peaceful means," proposition, aud We
will admit the claim if it will acknowl-
edge that had il not been for the razor
and pistol which Uncle Sam has up
his Philippines sleeve, Russia, Ger
many and France could never have
been induced to see the error of their
way.