The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-11-09
TRADE WITH THE ORIENT
Steps Looking Toward Maintain
ing Our Rights in China.
WANT NO INTERFERENCE
Negotiations in Progress for Obtaining
Assurances That the United States
Will Not Be Disseminated Against
in the Far East.

Washington, Nov. s-Officials here are
at loss to know what was meant by the
mysterious London dispatch relating 10
Anglo-American-Chin relations of such
a startling character that the news could
not be published. 1t is stated that there
is nothing exciting in this line at present
between Great Britain and the United
States that can be said to be of a sensa-
tional character The government is not
averse to having it known broadly that it
has been steadily engaged in negotiations
for months looking to the maintenance of
whatever trade rights We now enjoy in
Chinese ports. officials do not care to go
into details while the negotiations are still
in progress but it is expected the subject
will be made the basis of special mess
age to congress by the president,
1t is said our government is not likely
to encounter any serious opposition to
what 1t regards as its perfectly reasonable
effort to secure from the European powers
interested formal assurances in confrma-
ton of verbal statements already made
that the way for American trade in China
will be kept open in the event of a reten-
ton of the concessions and leaseholds.
| Nothing has been heard from France
| on this subject as yet, though it is as
sumed that the returning ambassador, NJ.
| Cambon, will bear some instructions on
| the subject.
The Chinese government, through Min
lister WI Ting Fang, is keeping a watch
| full eye on the recent Developments relat-
| ing to China Within the last few days
| he saw Secretary Hay with view to
| learning to what extent the United States
| had acted. The response of the secretary
| of state is said to have been quite full
| a nd raj md 10 t1,n fnat hat OF bn
request of the president, our ambassadors
| and ministers abroad had been asked to
| secure definite assurances that there
| would be no interruption to the access of
| American trade and commerce in the in
| terror of China through the treaty ports.
| Such assurances had been given from
| time to time in a somewhat informal
| manner. as parts of the manifestos by
| which foreign powers assumed control OF
| ports on the China coast But the pur.
pose of this request was to have the as
| surances take tangible. definite. written
| form, so to leave no room for doubt
| that the future commerce of the United
States in the Orient would meet with no
| unforeseen barriers.
| 1t can be stated positively that the re-
cent move of the United States was not
| the result of any agreement with the
| Chinese minister here. SO far as is known.
| the Chinese authorities were not consult
|
ably by China depends in the judgment
of Minister WI, on subsequent develop
| ments.
Throughout diplomatic circles keen in
terest is manifested jim the American
move and in the replies which are likely
i to be elected from the American inquiry
abroad. The view prevails that, while
there will be no difficulty in securing gen
eral assurances of a favorable character.
| it is not SO certain that definite state
| ment in written or tangible form will be
| given. Those best acquainted with the
subject hold that Great Britain Germany
and Russia will coincide with the Ameri-
can view, and that if any objection comes
| it is likely to arise In France, as the
| French policy in Madagascar and Cochin
China is to give preferential rates to
| French goods and make discrimina tons
against foreign goods. From this it is i'm
piled that France will not give a written
assurance that American commerce will
be on equal terms in those ports of China
where French spheres of influence pre-
| vail. s=s.,sr