The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-02-26


! vigore. or any other way. The spot we
mean is up on Capitol Hill.
The Permanently of the Open Door.
In the course of speech at the annual
| dinner of the Southern Society in New
York. the Hon. John Barrett. former Min
lister to Siam, made two illusions to nego-
tiations looking to the maintenance OF the
open door" in China. which derive pc
| culiar interest from the fact that the in
formation is alleged to have been secured
in Washington from those in charge OF
our Asatic policy" and that within thirty
| days the exact tenor. as well as the scope
and import OF the diplomatic notes ex-
changed in this matter. will ne made
known TO the country by the state Depart
ment in the form OF communication to
Congress. In the first instance he points
with satisfaction and pride to what he
seems to regard as a triumph of American
diplomacy in accomplishing, single handed
in n few months. what ;he European
powers sinsly or combined. failed to do in
long years of diplomatic intercourse and
strategy and that is safeguarding our
developing interests in China, whether the
Empire remains intact or is divided into
spheres of influence and at the same
time without committing ourselves to
recognition of Tue right of the powers to
dclimit such spheres. The announcement
is made with such reserve and generality
that Il is difficult to apprehend just what
the speaker had in mind. but it is clear
enough TO all that by 40 possibility will
any negotiations be consummated which
demand the permanency and completeness
of the open door in China without conced-
ing in return an open door in the Philip
pines.
He is still more perplexlng when he quail
!fies the roseate prospect he depicts by de-
claring that another move must be made
on the chessboard of diplomacy before We
can be certain that disguised efforts" to
discriminate against our product will be
forever checkmated under these new agree
ments and indicates that in a friendly
spirit permanent precedent must be es-
tablished by test case in which our Status
shall be adjudicated. IL is rot easy TO i'm
agine from what quarter the menace
comes, unless there have been some re-
strictions on the part of Russia in the Cuff
of Pechili of which there has been no pre-
vious intimation. but the result of the ad-
justment said to be in progress will be
awaited with genuine interest.
The London Spectator" in a possibly
inspired article, takes the ground that if
the United States wants to fortify the Mic
aragua Canal. Great Britain Ough; not to
object. although other powers might What
Great Britain needs to do, in order to re-
store good feeling between the people of
the two countries is to request Secretary
Hay to tear up the Hay -Pauncefote Treaty.
and, at the same time. to assure President
Mckinley that Her Majesty's Government
is happy to inform America that the Clay
ton-Bulwer convention has been dead too
long TO talk about. The Spectator" is
quite right in one respect. Our fertilization
of the canal would be good for England.
supposing that country meant always to do
the right thing in the future. What other
European States might think OF the matter
is nothing OF immediate or great concern.
The revolutionary element in France AMI
its press opponents are booming Colonel
Count de Villebois- Maruiel, Jouberts
chief of staff. in a way not altogether pleas
ing to the French Government, which is
afraid that when the officer in question
comes home the Nationalist will make
another Boulanger OF him, and that is Ent
comfortable prospect. The chances Gre
that Roberts. or Butler. or whoever may
be handiest. could not earn the gratitude
of President LOubet in any manner as eff
fective as by dropping lyddite she'll in the
immediate neigfborhood OF Villebois-
Maruiel.