The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-11-26
A DEFINITE AGREEMENT
The Far Eastern Question Near
Settlement.
ON A PERMANENT BASIS
Efforts of the United States May Have
Far-Reaching Results in China-A
Perfect Understanding With
Great Britain and Japan.
Copyrighted 1899 by Associated Press.

Copyrighted 1899 by Associated Press.
London, Nov. 25.-As a result of the
United States request to the powers for
assurances regarding the maintenance
of the "open door" in China. the as
ISOLATED press is able to say that ne
gotiations have been entered into look
ing to a more permanent and impor-
tant International agreement than yet
mooted. Though the greatest official
reticence is observed at all the capitals
regarding the secret movement, there
is good cause for believing that nego-
tiations have reached hopeful state.
According to reports current here in
consequence of Russia and France fall
ing to reply satisfactorily to Washing
toms request, the United States decided
to take up the Chinese questions still
more vigorously.
The cooperation of Great Britain to
this end, it is asserted. was secured.
and it Is said upon the initiative of the
United States efforts We're set on foot
to secure, not only assurances to the
United States, but a definite agreement
between the European powers them
selves. Such an understanding to the
average European statesman has long
seemed Utopian, yet to-day the assocl-
ated press is informed on good author
ity there are fair chances of Great
Britain, Russia Germany and Japan in
conjunction with the United States be-
coming signatories to a treaty delim-
mating the spheres of political intlu-
ence in China and determining their ifs
cal policy in that quarter Of the globe,
based on the open door" principles
such is the scope Of the negotiations.
The projected arrangement may be ret
roactive as regards territory in other
words districts now controlled, for in
stance, may change hands in return
for other privileges. France apparent
ly has exhibited the greatest opposition
to this plan SO far, but assurance has
been received from Russia, and her APP
parent willingness to enter into agree
ment with the United States as the
leading factor has given rise to the be-
lief that France is not necessarily a
stumbling block. for if Russia entered
into the agreement France, it is as
serted, is almost bound to follow or
render herself powerless in the far Eas t.
1t Is understood the United States,
Great Britain and Japan have already
arrived at a perfect understanding.
Germany's decision was greatly inf1u-
enced by the emperor who had fire.
Quent conferences on this far Eastern
problem while in England with Joseph
III. Choate, United States ambassador.
At the queens banquet, Mr.. Choate
conyersed al length with the emperor
and it is said chiefly confined himself
to the question of China. It is scarce
ly probable that any official or semi
official reference will be made to this
important undercurrent which progress
es publicly under the guise Of merely
giving assurances to the United States
until II has assumed such shape thai
no hitch is possible. In the event OF
the failure of the negotiations through
the refusal Of Russia or Germany 1t Is
likely the world win never know how
near the great powers came to settling
the greatest problem of the century.
The Transyaal war becomes a mat
ter of mon1entary interest compared
with the tremendous possibilities de
pendent on these exertions, which are
now occupying the diplomats of Europe
and the war itself has reached stage
where even British interest somewhat
flags. The advance OF the troops to the
relief of Kimberley, Ladysmith ant
Mafeking is necessarily clothed in Sc
crecy, which is only broken by thu
news of desultory engagements. Thu
past week seems to have altered bu
little the conditions described in thes
dispatches. Even il General Whit
holds out until relieved it will only re
move picturesque phase of the cam
paign and does not mean that it will
hasten its speedy end. The Boers, it i
claimed. are not likely to risk the decid
ing battle of the war until they hav
got General Buffers invading force int
q position believed to be favorable t
them or until they are driven into
corner, which promises to be matte
Of months.
The criticism of the methods of TIL
British army organization has led sew
eral writer's to again seriously conside
the advisability of adopting some form
of conscription, but although prepon