The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-28
THE open DOOR IN chin 4
Correspondence Between Secretary
Hay and Foreign Powers.
Replies to the Proposals OF the
United states Regarding Trade in
the Senatc-N General Willingness
to Enter Into the Agreement.

/ The President yesterday sent To the
! House in answer TO the resolution Of Mr..
/ Cummings. the correspondence between
/ the Secretary of State and foreign Gov
crnments concerning the arrangements for
/ the maintenance OF the open door in
/ China. The result Of the negotiations is
shown by the following copy OF irstruc-
lions. sent mutatis mutantis 10 the United
T States Ambassadors at London. Paris, Ber-
lin. St. Petersburg. and Rome and to the
United States Minister at Tokyo:
Department of state.
Washington. March 20, 1890.
Sir: The - Government having ac-
cepted the declaration suggested by the
United States concerning foreign trade in
China, the terms OF which / transmitted
10 you in my instruction No. -. Of --,
/ and like action having been taken by all
/ the various powers having leased terri
/ tory or so-called spheres OF interest in
/ the Chinese Empire, as shown by the
/ notes which l herewith transmit to you,
/ you will please inform the Government
/ to which you are accredited that the con-
! dition originally attached to its acceptance
/ that all other powers concerned should
(
! States-having been complied with. this
Government will therefore consider the
assent given to il by -- as final and
defnitive.
You will also transmit to the Minister
I for Foreign Affairs copies OF the present
enclosures, and by the same occasion con-
vey to him the expression of the sincere
qualification which the President feels at
the successful termination of these ne
49, -.
friendly spirit which animates the various
powers interested in the untrammelcd de-
velopment Of commerce and industry in
the Chinese Empire. and a source Of vast
benefit TO the whole commercial world
\ am. etc, JOHN HAY"
The correspondence opened on Septem-
Der 6. 1892 with note from Secretary
Hay to Mr.. Vignaud. United States Charge
d'Afaires at Paris enclosing copies Of in
structions to the United States Ambassa-
doris at London. Berlin, and ST Peters
burg. in reference to the desire Of this
Government that the Governments of
Great Britain. Germany, and Russia make
formal declaration Of an open door policy
in the territories held by them in China"
Submitted to France.
II was Two months later hat the open
door matter was brought to the attention
Ct France On November q Nr Hay telc-
graphed Ambassador Porter az Paris 10
submit informally to the French Govern
ment the form Of declaration outlined IN
instructions sent 10 Nignaud on September
g. and 20 ask whether France would join
On the return to Paris Of NJ Deicssse.
French Minister for Foreign Affairs. he
wrote This note TO Mr. Porter. ds,ed De
cember Is:
My Dear Ambassador: find your NOT
awaiting me on my return. The declaI-
lions which I made in the Chamber on the
24.h Of November last. and which I have
had occasion to recall to you since then.
show clearly the sentiments OF the Govern
menl Of the Republic II desires through
out the whole Of China and. with ;he quite
natural reservation that all the powers
interested give an assurance Of their viii
ingness to act likewise, is ready &c apply
in the territories which are leased TO 81.
equal treatment to the citizens and sub
iects Of all nations, especially I'm the mat
ter Of customs duties and navigation dues.
as well as transportation tariffs on rail-
ways
Germany showed an equal willingness to
conform to the desires Of the United States
This is minated in a telegram TO Secre-
tary Hay from Mr.. jackson, Charge de
Afaires in Berlin. dated December &
i have just had conversation with
Secretary Of State for Foreign Affairs who
stated thai the politics OF Germany in
the extreme Orient are de facto the politics
OF the open door and Germany proposes 20
maintain this principle in the future. Ger
many does not wish the question 70 become
the subject of controversy between the
different powers engaged in China. She
thinks il would be advantageous FOR the
United States Government 10 confer with
har E-rgroue.n EoypruTpaurl having inter
ests In China. II the other Cabinets adhere
70 the proposal OF the United States Gov
eminent. Germany viii raise no objection
and Germany il willing TO have the Gov
eminent Of the United states inform these
other Cabinets that no difficulty will come
from her if the other Cabinets agree.
Assurances From Salisbury.
On November 80 Lord Salisbury gave the
desired assurances in behalf Of England
not to be binding however. unless all the
other powers intorpellated gave like
assurances to the United States. italy was
willing also but somewhat late in giving
her answer. which is dated January :,
1900. Japan gave a prompt assent 10 the
American proposal Russia's answer was
cautious. but gave assurances. under date
Of November 30 that custom duties would
be levied IN territory that may hereafter
be acquired by Russia in China upon ell
foreign merchandise without distinction as
to nationality. The Russian note sets forth
that Russia has already demonstrated her
intention OF maintaining the open door by
creating Talienwan an open port.
A As the answers Of all the foreign Govern
lments were contained in informal notes TO
the United States representatives, at their
capitals the Secretary Of State, in order
to make the assurances formal and bind
ing. directed the Ambassadors to the Eu-
ropean powers and the Minister 10 Japan
to make the declaration contained in the
identical note Of March 20 1900, quoted
above.
ONerture- to Germany.
The oyertures 20 Germany on The sub
ject OF the open door were made by Am
bassador White in accordance with the
following note to him from Secretary Hay.
Washington September 6.
Sir. At the time when The Government
Of the United States was informed by that
Of Germany that il had leased from His