Omaha daily bee., 1899-11-05
OUR lNTERESTSIN The ORIENT
State Department Quietly Negotiating tt
Protect American Trade.
VAST MARKETS IN INTERIOR OF CHINA
European Nations Would welcome
American Advent as Calculated to
Assist Their Efforts to Brenk
Down Chinese Conservation,

WASHINGTON, Nov. 4.-For the last
year, under instructions from the president,
the State department has been quietly
negotiating for the consummation of Amer
lean interests in China. The officials of the
State department fatty refuse to make any
statement relative to the measure of sue
cess that has attended their efforts. though
1t is admitted that the subject so far is still
open, although the prospects of ultimate
success are regarded as highly encouraging,
government official in high station
with large experience in Chinese ques-
tions, is authority for the statement that
our government does not apprehend any
immediate injury to American interests
from the political moves that are being made
in China On the contrary. the conditions
are such in the Flowery Kingdom that there
is the best reason to believe that so far from
restraining the operations of the United
States in the matter of trade extension in
that quarter the European nations which
have, under one pretext or another seized
upon portions of the Chinese coast would
actually welcome our advent as calculated
to materially assist their own efforts to
break down Chinese conservatism and open
up vast markets in the interior of China to
the trade of the civilized nations
ne Ouly pOSSlDle SOulCt Ol apprehension,
1t Is pointed out. would be some action in
the future on the part of the leaseholders.
This might tend to restrict our freedom Of
trade and even this probably would be ac-
complished not by direct means, such as
prohibition of entry at seaports or dis
eliminating duties, but rather by means of
vexatious regulations and the imposition of
obstacles to the control of the railroads and
political machinery of the country. That
time however, would be remote in the
judgment of the speaker.
AT present both Russia and Germany,
which have been held up as afraid Of United
States trade successes in China, are on rec
ord as rather adding to the list of treaty
ports, and thus opening new doors for trade,
than of endeavoring to close out the United
States and England from the interior OF
China. This is notably true in the case OF
Germany's concession at Kiao-Chow, where
the German authorities have opened the
port of Tsingtau, adjoining the town of
Kiao-Chow, and have done everything to
facilitate the extension of trade into the in
terror. On the north coast Russia has done
the same thing at Talienwan and even
granted foreigners the right to participate
in the municipal government
President Not Indifferent.
Those confessions and leases were not
taken up by European nations without in
uuiry by the United States government as
to how our interests would be affected and
that fact was disclosed clearly in the last
annual message to congress OF President Nc
Kinley. The president then said that he has
not been an Indifferent spectator Of the ex-
traordnary events that had been transpring
in the Chinese empire whereby portions OF
/
pean control, and steps had been taken to
see that our interests were not prejudiced
by any exclusive treatment by the new oc-
cupants He had become assured on that
point, however, so that there was no occa-
sion for the United States to become an actor
on the scene. Our large interests, our ex-
tensive Pacific coast line and our position
among nations gave us an equitable claim to
consideration and friendly treatment and it
would be the aim of the United States gov
ernment to subserve our large interests by
all means proper and in line with the con-
stitutonal policy Of our government.
The president then announced, that so far
as the recent acquisitions of Germany. Rus
sia and Great Britain are concerned, they
would be open to international commerce
and II it appeared that there was no dis
criminatory treatment Of American citizens
and their trade, either now or hereafter,
then the desire of our government would
be realized.
These statements were made by the presi-
dent after the latest foreign acquisitions in
China, and the negotiations which the State
department is now pursuing are simply in
| tended to carry out the presidents aim and
ensure, not only for the present but for the
| future, free access for American commerce
| to the interior of China.