The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-11-27
WI Ting Fang Regards the Proposition as
aSpeces Of Highway Robbery.
CHINA WILL HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY
This Country Is MOI Likely 10 JON VIII Other
powsrs, bui viii Sex Only Unrestricted
Entrance 10 All Chinese Iohs.

Washington. Nov. 27.--In official ana
diplomatic quarters much interest was
manifested yesterday I'm the plan put
forward I'm London cables y treaty
among the great powers defining the
spheres OF influence i'm China. That
anything I'm the shape OF formal
treaty Is TO be made between the pow
ers interested i'm the future of China as
the outcome of the negotiations now IN
progress Is not believed here. though
an understanding NJ less formal ma
ture is possible. The negotiations fol-
lowed the frank request Of Secretary
Hay on some of the governments which
had already given him verbal ana IN
formal assurances OF the continuation
of all our treaty rights IN Chinese ter
iitory, 10 have these agreements re-
duced TO form. Ii was not regarded az
necessary 90 go beyond that point, ana,
although III frequently tlppens as the
result Of Initiating negotiations thdt
the SCOPE of them Is broadened far De-
yond anything originally i'm eontehip-
lation. il is believed that such VIII hot
be the case now and that there VIII
be no necessity for a general and for
NAL treaty 1t would be extremely DIM
cult to frame any such convention 50
as to secure the approval of the united
States senate without a protracted
struggle. and besides. the effort would
he sure to arouse opposition from the
considerable element of the united
States which Is unalterably opposed 10
any soIt orforeign entanglements.
APPLIES TO UNITED STATES.
OF course. this statemes, applies only
to the United States, and there could
L. 4 Il n lNtAr
powers Joining In a treaty covering tor-
eign rights in China, pi <vided Fhere
WAS nothing I'm the agreement obnoN-
ious 10 our just and proper claims. on
the whole. having in view the hishly
satisfactory utterances in the french
chambers SATURDAY. of NJ Delcasse the
French minister OF foreign ailalfs' re-
spacting the. maintenance of the open
do,r''ein CHINA there Is felt In ofnclal
quarters to be reason for expecting
successful outcome OF luhe negotiations
on this subject opened by The united
States.
AT some OF the foreign establishments
the proposition was considered
"feeler." resulting from the recent In
ouirqes made by the American govern
ment as TO the attitude or the great
powers. Other influential members or
the diplomatic corps polnl 0ut tiiat ''iS
Dlan was the logical contamination OF
the scheme initiated between RUSSIA
and Great Britain whose spheres OF III
1uence would be denned
The Chinese legation views the propo-
sition as purely conjectural. ana the
Chinese minister. Mr. Wu lhs rans'
when his attention was directed 10 the
matter. regarded it as preposterous.
REFRESHING SUGGESTION.
"This is about tile most refreshing
suggestion we have had of late. re-
marked MIR. WI. What, can II he Sc
riously proposed that document shal
be formally drawn up concerning In
terests In China and China shall not Dc
n party to 1t? IL cannot have escaped
attention that China Is a sovereign ma
tion. and when II comes to writing
treaties concerning her interests ant
territory. this sovereign nation Is qult'
likely to have considerable TO say OF
the subject. I hardly think any of tn,
great and self-respecting Powers woult
give countenance TO a plan such as u
outlined Ii is as though a party o
YOUR neighbors met and agreed how
they would occupy your house. On'
would take the front door anothe
would select the side doors: other
would appropriate certain rooms. AM
All this without consulting you, tn
owner OF the house. Such course b!
indtxfdrrals would seem stranRe-in
deed. and il would amount 10 the sam
thing among nations. OF course al
things arc possible, and IL Is diii1cult Z
say how far a plan once entered upo
may proceed While the individual ma
be quite secure i'm his residence, II !
of course always within the bounds O
possibility that a band of robbers ma
arrange to enter the house ami carr
away the belongings. For that reaso
II Is the part OF wisdom for the indiNid
ual To he on the lookout against sue
moves hut IL Is not Go be suppose
that nation stands i'm any such dan
ger. as the great nations would no
countenance such a course So tha
the sugg stions Of treaty OF this char
acter appear to be entirely visionar
acter appear 60 me To be entirely Wis
ionary."
AT THE EMBASSIES.
At one Of the embassies II was poln
hardly lik ~ To beETAO Arhbscvg a
ed out that the United States WI
hardly likely To- become a party to
treaty defining the spheres OF innuen,
Of other Powers. while az the san
timc no sphere of American innuen,
,as defined. and up to the present tin