The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-12-31
FREE ACCESS TO CHINA
European Nations Concur in the
"Op n Door" Policy.
RESPONSES WERE PROMP |
AL O. the Powers Addressed, With the
Exc ption o italy, Hnvs Sign ned
Their Readiness to e ,ter Into
Common agreement


Washington, Dec. 30.-The negotta-
lions opened by Secretary Hay with
the great powers of Europe and the
Japanese toward securing common
understanding for a continued open
door" policy throughout China have
met with most gratifying results. The
state department is unwilling at pres
ent to make public the nature OF the
replies received, as this is not embodied
in a special message to congress But
in other quarters, thoroughly reliable
and in a position to have trustworthy
Information, 1t Is learned that FAVOR
able responses have been made by
Great Britain. Germany. France ana
Russia, the Russian communication
coming as late as yesterday. There is
no doubt 1t is Thought mere, that Italy,
the remaining country addressed, VIII
make Favorable answer II. lnueed,. II
has not already done So The position
of Italy Is felt to be assured by the
favorable course adopted by the other
four great powers OF europe.
1he Importance Of TINS unanimous
the world-Great Britain, Russia, Ger
MANY, France, Italy and Japan, In
conjunction with the United states
can hardly be overestimated, SO far as
it reiates to the future OF CHINA and
the commerce of the world In that enl-
pire The state department is loath
TO discuss the farreaching results 10
be secured, when the agreement ad-
vances to the stage Of formal consum-
nation, for each favorable response Is
conditioned on the favorable action OF
all the other parties, SO that In each
case the negotiation may be regarded
as short of absolute finallty. But, while
| the department is silent, the details
! come from sources believed to be fully
| conversant with what has occurred.
! According to this information, the
| British answer was the first to be sub
| mitted and was exceptionally compre-
heneive and explicit In yielding to every
suggestion made by the United States
! relative to maintaining the freest en-
try to the ports Of China. The British
| answer Is said to emphasize concur
renee with the United States by adopt
| ing, word for word, much OF the
| phraseology employed by Secretary
| Hay when he addressed his original
! note to Great Britain and other pow
ers The wording is such as to make
plain that the British government con-
|
without limitation, in a policy of free
access to China.
| Although much secrecy was observed
in the transmission of the British an,
| swer, its general purport soon became
known to the other European capitals
and there was not a little irritation a
what was regarded as precipitate re
Spouse, purposely designated to enbar
rass the continental powers by showing
Great Britain and the United States
acting in concert, while the rest of thu
world held aloof. But the situation wa!
made much more satisfactory to Thu
continental powers by their determine
ton to act for themselves. German,
is said to have been the next power II
answer in the affirmative. Accordin.
to the information already referred to
the German answer WAS rather NOR
vague than the one VIII ch had preceded
it, but its general tendency wss favor
able, the only condition being tfat an.
arrangements as to free access tn CHR,
should be universal and assented to b,
all of the powers.
The French answer is understood t
have come next and the circumstance
attending. 1t were rather peculiar an
not in the nature of direct answer
although the result was regarded a
most satisfactory. Secretary Hay
note had been forwarded to Gen. Hor
ace Porter the United States ambas
sador to France, who promptly Gale
upon NJ. Del Case, minister OF foreigl
affairs In the French cabinet. Genera
Porter made known his mission. where
upon M. Del Case showed the mos
sympathetic spirit and stated that h
had already made ample answer t
General Porter, although at the tim
he had not intended 1t as an answe
to the American note. This answel
M. Del Case explained, was given in
speech made by him on Nov. "a in tn
French chamber. TIE main point c
! that speech, In it's reference to Chins
was that France desired the most ampl
freedom of commerce. M. Del Cass
referred General Porter to this spec
and told him that it fully gave the as
surance which the United States DC
sired. It is said that the meeting wa
gra tifying on both sides and with re
suits considered to be favorable &C
, ceptance from France.
The Russian negotiations have pre-
) ceeded less brislt'y so that it seemed fo
time that Russia's attitude migf
not be favorable. This was dssipate
however, by the Russian ambassado
Count Cassini, in the course of inter
views with Secretary Hay. On thes
occasions Count Cas- mi pointed OF
. that hurried answer was by no near
, the best evidence of a favorable att
tude toward the Ameri an proposition
but that Russia was proceeding wit
due elaboration in order to arrive {
some solid ground for permanent III
derstandng The Russians were d
sirous of weighing the many incidel
tai questions involved such as the e
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