The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-03-31

FUTILE DIPLOMACY.
Secretary Of State John Hay has sub
mttted to congress the CORRESPONDENCE.
with other governments respectine, tha
maintenance of the open door" in
China Secretary Hay first sets forth the
substance of the agreement to which each
OF the foreign powers addressed was ask
ed to subscribe or to make declarat ton
embodying the following provisions.
Il That It will in no wise interfere
with any treaty port or anv vested in
terest within any so-called Sphere of in
terest or leased territory it may have in
China. 49, 4'A
. 2 That the Chinese treaty tariff of
Ihe Tine being shall apply to ali mer-
chandise landed or shipped to all such
ports as are within such spheres of in
t teafse tuntess they be free portsD, no
matter TO what nationality it may belong
ana that duties so leviable shall be col
lecLed by the Chinese government
% mat 1t VIII levy no higher harbor
uueS on vessels of another nationality fire.
QuentinS any port in such sphere than
shau De levied on vessels Of its own ma
Uoilallty, and no higher railroad Charges
uystE mes Duilt, controlled. or operated
WIthin It's sphere on merchandise belong
tts 20 citizens or subjects of other ma
teoHdnlieS transported through such
ulefcHa1dlSe belonging to its own ma
tottatS transported over equal distances
Inc powers addressed We're Great Brit
ein. France. Germany. Russia, Italy and
Japan. and they have all replied the last
to be heard from being Germany. which
did not communicate It's formal answer
until Feb. 10 of this year. The reply Of
Italy was received on Jan. 7. and was
given after the Italian government had
been assured by our state department
that all other powers had given favor
able reply. Yet it was forty-three DAYS
later before the reply Of Germany was
recetTed-but that is discrepancy which
may be left 10 the diplomatic conscience
of the flclle John Hay.
The replies are all similar In tenor "rt
the other powers are willing to make such
declaration. why we are. but not unless
the thing is unanimous" In the Russian
reply however. the attention of the
United States government is drawn TO the
tact that AS to the ports now opened
or hereafter TO be opened to foreign com.
merce oy the Chinese government. and
which lie beyond the territory leased to
Russia the settlement Of the question NJ
customs duties belongs to China herself"
mis- statement is similar to the state.
ment made by the Chinese ambassador
at washington several months ago. That
gentleman then said that before there
could be any settlement Of this "open
door question China might have soma
thing TO say. and that up to that TINA
China had not been addressed unop tho
subject by the state department.
The value Of all these assurances can
only be ascertaIned when put to req,
test The declaration by these govern
ments that they are willing to enter into
Sucn an agreement as Is proposed NV
secretary Hay is not exactly the sauna
thing as entering into an actual hind,no.
agreement. Secretary Hay has led b,a
horses to the water; that Is sone+b,ro,
Oh course But he has now to display his
aoiiity to make them drink. As tba
v e has heretofore pointed out Il ia
not probable that these powers Will,
abandon any exclusive privileges thew
may enjoy in their respective "snbaras 80
influence" in China. merely to obI,pe or
70 please Secretary Hay and the United
states government. They Will certainly
expect consideration of some kind for
the'r a6negation. and as soon as Secretary
Hay has ascertained the nature and valus
OF the consideration the United States
VIII be expected to give for the conces,
s'onS asked. then, and not before. Will
the true value Of his diplomatic labors be
known.