Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-01
FUTURE TRADE WITH CHINA
Japan and the European Powers for an
"0pen-Door' Policy
Agreement With the Tn
dertakfng of This Country to Free
Commerce With the Empire.

The negotiations opened by Secretary
Hay with the great powers of Europe and
with Japan toward securing a common I'M
derstanding for continued "open-door pol
icy throughout China have met with most
gratifying results. Favorable responses
have been made. it Is said, by Great Brit
ain, Germany, France, Russia and Japan.
No doubt is felt here that Italy. the re-
manning country addressed. will make IA
vorable answer. The position of Italy is felt
to be assured by the favorable course
adopted by the other four great powers of
Europe.
The Importance of this unanimous YER
dict by the first-class powers of the world
Great Britain, Russia Germany. France.
Italy and Japan, in conjunction with the
United States-can hardly be overestimated
SO far AS it relates to the future of China
and the commerce of the world in that en-
pire The State Department is loath to dis
cuSS the far-reaChlng results to be secured
when the agreement advances to the stage
of formal contamination. for each favorable
response is conditioned on the favorable
action of all the other parties. so that in
each case the negotiations may be regarded
as short of absolute tinality.
The British answer was the first to be
submitted and. was exceptionally compre-
hensve and explicit, in yielding to every
suggestion made by the United States rela-
tive to maintaining the freest entry to the
ports of China
Although much secrecy was observed in
the transmission of the British answer, its
general purport soon became known at the
other European capitals, and there was not
a little irritation at what was regarded as
a precipitate response, purposcly designed
to embarrass the continental powers by
showing Great Britain and the United
States acting in concert, while the rest of
the world held aloof But this situation was
made much more satisfactory to the CONT
mental powers by their determination to
act for themselves. Germany is said to
Lave been the next power to answer in the
affirmative. The German answer was ra-
tier more vague than the one which had
preceded it. but its general tendency was
favorable, the only condition being that any
arrangement as to free access to China
should be universal and assented to by all
OF the powers.
The Russian negotiations have proceeded
that Russia's attitude might not be favor
able. This was dissipated. however by the
Russian ambassador, Count Cassini, in the
course of interviews with Secretary Hay.
The Russian position, 1t is understood is
similar to those preceding it, with the same
condition. that Russia alone shall not be
bound, but that all of the interested coun-
tries shall join in the agreement to keep
the ports of China forever open.
Japan made her position Enthusiastically in
favor Of thc-American proposition. with the
same reservation as in all the other cases.
that unaninity should be reached. AL
n:tely, no doubt is entertained that that
country also will be favorable. thus making
complete the satisfactory responses of all
the great powers