Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-03-29
OPEN DOOR
IN CHINA.
Correspondence on Subject
With Other Countries Sub
mitted to Congress.
UNITED STATES STAND.
Attitude OF This Country on Question
10 Set Forth-Does Not Intend TO
Interfere With the Rights
Of Other Nations.

Of Other Nations.
Washington, March 27.-(By Asso-
ciated Press. Secretary Hay today
submitted to congress the correspond
ence had with the governments of 9th
er nations respecting the maintenance
of the ssopen door, in China. The cor
respondence extended over a period of
time from September s, last, to the
goth inst, the last date marking the
successful completion of the undertake
ing. The nations addressed on this
subject by the United States were
Great, Britain, France, Germany Rus
STA, Italy and Japan. To the govern
ments of each of these countries, Sec
rotary Hay addressed notes setting
forth the demands of this government.
In brief they are as follows:
1. That it will in no wise interfere
with any treaty port or any vested
interest within any so-called sphere
of interest" or leased territory it may
have in China.
for the time being shall apply to all
such ports as are within such spheres
of interest" (unless they be free ports)
no matter to what nationality it may
belong, and that duties so leviable
shall be collected by the Chinese gov
eminent.
3. That it. will levy no higher har-
Dor dues on vessels of another nation
atty frequenting any port in such
sphere" than shall be levied on ves-
sells of its own nationality, and no high
er railroad charges over lines built,
controlled or operated within its
sphere on merchandise belonging to
citizens or subjects of other national
tiles thru such sphere" than shall be
levied on similar merchandise belong
ing to it's own nation transported over
equal distances.
Great Britain's reply to these de-
mands says: Her majesty's govern
ment is prepared TO make a declara-
ton in the sense desired by your gov
eminent in regard to the leased terri
tory of Wei-Hai-Wei, and all territory
in China which may hereafter be- ac-
CURED by Great Britain, by lease or
otherwise, and all spheres Of interest,
now held, or that may hereafter be
&
similar declaration is made by the 9TH
er powers concerned"
Germany in reply says: Germany
does not wish the open door question
to become the subject of controversy
between the different powers engaged
in China. She thinks it would be adj
vantageous for the United States gov
eminent to confer with other Europe
an governments having interests in
China. IL other cabinets adhere to the
/ proposals of the United States govern
J ment, Germany will raise no objection
and Germany is willing to have the
government of the United States in
form these other cabinets that no diff
ficulty will come from her if other cab
inets agree
Russia, in her answer to the Unit
ed States, says: 1T is understood,
however, that this assurance of the
imperial government is given upon
condition that a similar declaration
shall be made by the other powers
having interests in China"
The French note is exceedingly brief,
Z 1t is as follows: with the quite ma
tural reservation that all the powers
interested give assurance of their will
ingness to act likewise, France is rea-
dy to apply in the territories which
are leased to it, equal treatment with
her citizens, to the subjects of all ma
tions, especially in the matter of Gus
toms duties and navigation dues, as
well as transportation tariffs on rail-
ways"
January Z, of the present year, af-
/. ter the Italian government had been
duly informed that all the other pow
I. ers had given favorable replies, Count
Venosta pledged Italy in this Ian
guage: Il take pleasure in saying the
government of the king adheres will
ingly to the proposals set forth in the
said note of December g." The last
!. act in the negotiations that which
clinched the agreement, was dis
patch to our diplomatic representa-
tives. at the capitals of the several
countries concerned of identical in
structions, couched in the following
terms: Department of State, Wash
ing, March 20, 1900. Sir:-The
government having accepted the dec
laration suggested by the United
States concerning foreign trade in Chi
ma, the terms of which transmitted
you in my instruction, No. Of
and like action having
!, having leased territory or so-called
spheres of interest" in the Chinese
empire, as shown by notes which i
herewith transmit you, you will please
inform the government to which you
are accredited that the condition orig
inally attached to it's acceptance, that
all the other powers concerned should
likewise accept proposals by the Unit
ed States, having been complied with,
> this government will, therefore, con-
slider assent given it by as final,
and definite. You will also transmit
RISING a a