The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1900-01-03
FAVORABLE ACTION,
Almost Certain That China Will BE
Free to Worlds Trade.
POWERS AGREE TO THE "OPEE DOOR,"
Favorable Replies Are Received from
Great Britain, Germany, France
and Russia - Italy Alone
Not Heard From.


Washington, Jan. 1.-The negotia'
tions opened by Secretary Hay with
the 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
ent to make public the nature of the
replies received, as this information
will be embodied in a special message
TO congress. But in other quarters,
thoroughly reliable ant in a position
to have trustworthy aid accurate in
formation, it is learned that favorable
responses have been ihade by Great
Britain, Germany, Fraice, Russia and
japan. There is no doubt, il is
thought here, that 1t y, the remain
ing country addressed VIII make IA
vorable answer, if, in&ed. ii has not
already done SO. The lpsition of Italy
is felt to be assured the favorable
course adopted by the her four great
powers of Europe.
Importance of Ut Verdict.
The Importance of nlis unanimous
verdict by all the first lass powers of
the world-Great Britan, Russia, Ger
many, France, Italy Jd Japan, in
conjunction with theinited States
can hardly be overesu} lated, so far as
il relates TO the futus of China and
the commerce of thNworld in that
empire. The state deEttment is loath
to discuss the far-resFing results to
be secured when Enlargement adj
vances to the stage oformal consum-
nation, for each faStable response
is conditioned on the fvorable action
of all the other parties, 20 that in each
case the negotiation nv be regarded
as short of absolute Anality. But
while the department isilent the de-
tails come from sourceSelieved to be
fully conversant with That has oc-
Cured.
The British Apwer.
According to this inTmation the
British answer was the fst TO be SUBJ
mitted, and was excepti0lly compre-
hensive and explicit ingielding to
every suggestion made / the United
States relative to maihining the
freest entry to the ports tChina. The
British answer is said | emphasize
the concurrence with ne United
States by adopting wore for word
much of the phraseology pployed by
Secretary Hay when he alressed his
original note to Great Brl and the
other powers. The wOrt,g is such
as to make plain that the fitish gov
eminent concurs, for the tesent and
hereafter without limitatis in pol
! icy of free access to China
Germany Agrees
Germany is said TO havbeen the
next power to answer in affirma-
tive. According to the formation
already referred to, the Oman an
swer was rather more vagtthan the
one which had preceded but its
general tendency was fav ble, the
only condition being thatny ar
rangement as to free acceso China
should be universal and anted to
by all of the powers.
Position of Franc
The French answer is untstood to
have come next. and the cir6stances
attending it were rather petar, and
not in the nature of direct iwer, al
though the result was regards most
satisfactory. Secretary Hay 'ote had |
been forwarded to Gen. HoraPorter,
the United States ambaslor to
France. who promptly callepon NJ.
Delcasse, minister of foreign,airs in
the French cabinet. Gen. Por made |
known his mission. whereupM. Del !
casse showed the most synthetic |
spirit, and stated that he halready |
made ample answer to just SUI COM
munication, although at theme he |
had not intended il as an answo the |
American note. This answer. Del |
casse explained. was given in beech |
made by him on November n the |
French chamber The main mt of |
that speech, in his references nina.
} was that France desired the mo nipple |
freedom of commerce. NJ Dele re-
ferred Gen. Porter to this spe, and |
|
ance which the United States ired. |
1t is said that the meeting VASTLY |
ing on both sides, and that th.ults |
were considered TO be favor ac-
ceptance from France.
Russia Acts.
The Russian negotiations hpro-
ceeded less briskly, so that timed |
| - n n
. for time that Russia's attltud'ght |
not be favorable. This was dissed. |
|. however, by the Russian ambaor,
Count Cassini. in the course Ger
views with Secretary Hay. Oiese
: occasions Count Cassini pointout
that hurried answer was by mons
the best evidence of favorabti-
u tude toward the American propon,
but that Russia was proceedinth
: due deliberation in order TO arat
sorpa eo1id Uround for n permapso