The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1900-01-04
FAVORABLE ACTION.
Almost Certain That China Will Be
Free to Worlds Trade.

Washington, Jan. 1.-The negotia-
sRons opened by Secretary Hay with
Ethe great powers of Europe and with
Japan towards securing a common
understanding for a continued open
door policy throughout China have
met with most gratifying results. The
state department is unwilling at pres
emit to make public the nature of the
xepi@s received, as this information
wiWbe embodied in special message
#ongress. But in other quarters,
'oughly reliable and in a position
have trustworthy and accurate in
'formation, it is learned that favorable
responses have been made by Great
Britain, Germany, France, Russia and
Japan. There is no doubt, it is
thought here, that Italy, the remain
ing country addressed, will make ia
vorable answer, if, indeed, it has not
already done so. The position of Italy
is felt to be assured by the favorable
Irourse adopted by the other four great
bowers of Europe.
Importance of the Verdict.
The Importance of this unanimous
rdict by all the frst-class powers of
world-G Great Britain, Russia, Ger
Any- France, Italy and Japan, in
ccnjlnctipn with the United States
can hardly be oyerestimated, so far as
1t relates to the future of China and
the commerce of the world in that
empire. The state department is loath
no discuss the far-reaching results to
BIZ secured when the agreement adj
'Fances TO the stage of formal consum-
nation, for each favorable response
is conditioned on the favorable action
cf all the other parties, SO that in each
case the negotiation may be regarded
as short of absolute finality. But
while the department is silent the de-
tails come from sources believed to be
~ conversant with what has oc-
red
The British Answer.
sm, According to this information the
itish answer was the first to be sub
lifted, and was exceptionally compre-
nsive and explicit in yielding to
Very suggestion made by the United
States relative TO maintaining the
freest entry to the ports of China. The
British answer is said to emphasize
the concurrence with the United
States by adopting word for word
much of the phraseology employed by
secretary Hay when he addressed his
- al note to Great Britain and the
powers. The wording is such
make plain that the British gov
'ernment eoncurs, for the present and
hereafter without limitation, in pol
icy of free access to China.
Germany Agrees.
Germany is said to have been the
next power to answer in the affirma-
tive. According to the information
already referred to, the German an
swer was rather more vague than the
one which had preceded it, but its
general tendency was favorable, the
only condition being that any ar
arrangement as to free access to China
should be universal and assented to
by all of the powers.
Position of France.
The French answer is understood to
have come next, and the circumstances
attending it were rather peculiar, and
not in the nature of direct answer, al
though the result was regarded as most
satisfactory. Secretary Hays note had
been forwarded to Gen. Horace Porter,
the United States ambassador to
France. who promptly called upon NJ.
Delcasse, minister of foreign affairs IN
the French cabinet. Gen. Porter made
known his mission, whereupon NJ. Del
casse showed the most sympathetic
spirit, and stated that he had already
made ample answer TO just such COM
munication, although at the time he
had not intended ii as an answer TO the
American note. This answer, NJ. Del
casse explained, was given in speech
made by him on November "a in the
French chamber. The main point of
that speech, in his references to China,
was that France desired the most ample
freedom of commerce. NJ. Delcasse re-
ferred Gen. Porter to this speech, and
told him that il fully gave the assur-
ance which the United States desired.
IL is said that the meeting was crafty
ing on both sides, and that the results
were considered TO be a favorable ac-
ceptance from France.
Russia Acts.
The Russian negotiations have pro-
ceeded less briskly, so that ii seemed
for time that Russia's attitude might
not be favorable. This was dissipated,
y.r.xwavap hw fha Rneefap ornbarcador
Count Cassini, in the course of inter-
views with Secretary Hay. On these
IL