The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1900-03-28
THE OPEN DOOR
FULLY ASSURED
Correspondence Between Hay and
European Powers.
THEIR CONSENT is GAINED
Equal Rights for All in the China Trade
Secured Through the Tact and Ability
Of the United States Depart.
ment Of State.

WASHINGTON. March 27.-Secre-
tary Hay today submitted to congress
the correspondence had with the gov
ernments of other nations respecting
the maintenance of an open door" in
China.
The correspondence extended over a
period Of time from September last
to the Goth inst, the last date marking
the successful completion of the under
taking. The nations addressed on this
subject were Great Britain. France.
Germany. Russia. Italy and Japan.
On September sth the state DEPART
ment addressed to our ambassadors
az London. Berlin and St Petersburg
copies of a formal declaration" set
ting out the desires of our govern
ment in the matter of the open door,"
Italy and Japan were similarly adj
dressed about a month later. While
the formal declarations" sent to the
ambassadors were similar in each
case. yet each of the officers adopted
a different phraseology in addressing
themselves to the governments to
which they are accredited, the domi-
nant note being best set forth, perhaps,
in his note to the British government
which was as follows:
MY Lord-I am instructed by the
secretary of state to present TO your
lordship matter which the president
regards as of great and equal import
ance TO Great Britain and the main
tenance OF trade and commerce in the
East, in which the interests of the ma
tons differ. not in character, but in
degree Only-and to ask for action
on the part of her majesty's govern
ment, which the president conceives
TO be in exact accord with the uniform
ly declared policy and traditions, and
which will greatly promote the welfare
of commerce.
He understands it to be the settled
policy and purpose Of Great Britain
not 10 use any privileges which may
be granted to it in China as a means
Of excluding any commercial rivals,
and that freedom Of trade for it in that
empire means freedom of trade for all
the world alike. Her majestys gov
ernment, while conceding by formal
agreements with Germany and Russia
the possession Of spheres Of influence
or interest, in China in which they are
to employ special rights and provisions,
particularly in respect to railroads
and mining enterprises, has, at the
same time, sought to maintain what is
commonly called the open door policy,
to secure to the commerce and naviga-
ton of all nations equality Of treat
ment within such spheres The main
tenance Of the policy is alike urgent
ly demanded by the commercial COM
munities of our two nations, as it is
Justly held by them to be the only
one which will improve existing condi-
tions, enable them to maintain their
positions in the markets of China, and
extend their future operations.
while the government Of the Uni
ted States will in no way commit it.
self to any recognition of the exclu-
sive rights of any power within or
control over any portion Of the Chi
nese empire, under such agreements
as have been recently made, 1t can
not conceal its apprehensions that
there is danger of complications arising
between the treaty powers which may
imperil the rights insured to the Uni
ted States by its treaties with China.
1T is the sincere desire of my gov
ernment that the interests Of its cit
izens may not be prejudiced through
exclusive treatment by any of the con-
trolling powers within their respective
spheres of interest," in China, and 1t
hopes to retain there an open market
for all the worlds commerce, remove
dangerous sources of international ir-
ritation and thereby hasten united ac-
tion of the powers at Pelin to pro-
mote administrative reforms so great
~ needed for strengthening the i'm
perial government and maintaining the
integrity Of China. in which it believes
the whole western world is alike con-
cerned.
1T believes that such result may