Daily Kennebec journal., 1900-03-28
"OPEN DOOR" POLICY
Sec. Hay Sends All the Cor
respoadence to Congress.
Answers from England, France, Russia,
Germany, Italy, Japan.
Al Agree that World Shall Share Commerc cial
Privileges in China.

Washington March 27.-Secretary
Hay submitted to Congress the corre-
spondcnce had with the governments
Of other nations respecting the main
tcnancc Of an open door" in China.
The correspondence extends over Il
period Of time from Sept. 9th last to
the 10Th inst. the last date marking
the successful completion of the under
taking. The nations addressed on this
subject by the United States We're
Great Britain, France, Germany, Rus
sia. Italy and Japan.
on September 6, the state depart
mcnt addressed to our ambassadors at
London, Berlin and st. Petersburg
copies Of a formal declaration" set
ting out the desires Of our government
in The matter uf the "open door" Italy
ana Japan were similarly addressed
about month later. While the for
NAL declarations" sent to the ambassa-
durs were similar IN each case, yet
each If the officers adopted a different
phrase logy in addressing themselves
t. the governments to which they We're
accredited. the dominant note being
best SIT forth, perhaps, in thc form Of
conveyance chosen by Ambassador
Choat- in a note to tho British gov
ernment. which was as follows:
my Lord am instructed by the
secretary of state to present To your
Iorlship a matter which the President
regards as Of great and equal impOr-
tance to Great Britain and the United
States III the maintenance Of trade and
commerce in the East. in which the
interests Of the two nations differ. not
in character. but in degree only-and
to ask for action on the part Of Her
Majcstys government. which the Pres
ident conceived to be in exact accord
with it's uniformly declared policy and
traditions. and which will greatly pro-
mote the welfare of commerce.
tile understands it to he the settled
policy and purpose of Great Britain
not IL use privileges which may be
grantee to it in China As a means Of
excluding any commercial rivals, and
that freedom If trade FIR it in that
empire means freedom of trade for all
the world alike. Her Majesty's 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 enjoy special rights and privileges.
particularly in respect To railroads and
mining enterprises. has at the same
time sought to maintain what is COM
monty called the open door policy. to
secure to the commerce and naviga-
tin Of all nations equality Of treatment
within such spheres. The mainte-
nance Of this policy is alike urgently
demanded by the commercial Commun
tiles of our two nations. a 5 il is just
ly held by them to be the only one
which viii improve existing conditions.
enable them to maintain their posi-
tions in the markets of China and eX
tend their future operations.
While the government of the United
States will in no way commit itself to
any recognition Of the exclusive rights
Of any power within or control over any
portion Of the Chinese empire, under
such agreement as have been recently
made. it cannot conceal its apprehen-
sions that there is danger of compli
cations arising between the treaty
powers which may impcril the rights
insured to the United States by its
treaties with China.
1T is the sincere desire of my gov
crnmcnt that the interests Of its citi-
Zens may not be prejudiccd through
exclusive treatment by any of the con
trolling powers within their respective
spheres Of interest in China, and il
hopes to retain there an open market
for all the worlds commerce. remove
dangerous sources of international iT-
ritation. and thereby hasten united
action Of the powers at Pekin to pro
mote administrative reforms 50 greatly
needed for strengthening the imperial
government and maintaining the in
tegrity Of China. in which it believes
the whole Western world is alike con
cerned. 1t believes that such a result
may be greatly aided and advanced by
declarations by the various powers
claiming spheres Of interest in China
as to their intentions in regard to the
treatment Of foreign trade and COM
merce therein. and that the present is
Il very favorable moment for informing
Her Majesty's government Of the de-
sire of the United States to have ii
make its own part and to lend its pow
erful support in the effort to obtain
from each of the various powers claim
ing spheres Of interest in China. a
declaration substantially to the follow
ing effect:
THAT it will in no wise interfere
with any treaty port or any vested in
tercst within any so-called spheres Of
interest or leased territory it may
have in China.
'2-That the Chinese treaty tariff of
the time being shall apply to all mer-
chandise within such spheres Of in
terest (unless they be free ports), no
matter to what nationality it may be
long and that duties 50 leViable shall
he collected by the Chinese govern
ment.
"3-That it will levy no higher har-
Dor dues on vessels of another nation
ality frcquentinE any such sphere than
shall hc levied on vessels of its own
nationality, and no higher railroad
charges over lines built, contemplated
or operated within it's sphere on mer-
chandiSc belonging To citizens or sub
iects Of other nationalities transported
through such sphere than shall be
levied on similar merchandise belong
ing to its own nation transported over
equal distances.
Continued on page 81