Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1900-05-04

Ief9 WITH any 1foAty port or any vested
interest," within any soycalled sphere 81
interest 81 leased territory il may
have III China. !.
"(2) That the Chinese treaty tariff
OF the time being shall apply to al
merchandise landed 81 shipped to all
such ports as are within such spheres
Of interest (unless they DO tree
ports), no matter to what nationality
It may belong. and that duties 80 levi
able shall BIO collected by the Chinese
government. n. 4. Nj
"(3) That II will levy NO higher lar
Dor dues, on vessels Of another nation
atty frequenting any port in such
sphere than shall be levied on yes
sells Of It's own nationality. and no
higher railroad charges over lines
built, controlled or operated within its
sphere on merchandise belonging 10
citizens or subjects Of other nationals
ties transported through such sphere
than shall be levied on similar mer-
chandise3 belonging to its own nation
Atty transported over equal dis
tances."
On Nov. 80, 1899. a month after the
date Of the note. q formal answer was
received from the British government,
addressed to United States Minister
Choate n the following language.
Il have much pleasure in informing
your excellency that her majesty's, gov
eminent will be prepared to make q
declaration in the sense desired by
your government In regard to the
leased territory Of Wei-hai-Wei, and
all territory in China which may here
after be acquired by Great Britain. by
lease or otherwise, and all spheres Of
interest now held or that may here
after be held by her In China. provided
that similar declaration Is made by
other powers concerned
Some opposition was feared from
Germany. but after some preliminary
correspondence. on Feb. 10 the follow
Ing most satisfactory answer was re-
ceived from that government:
II have the honor to inform your
excellency. repeating the statements
already made verbally. as follows: As
recognized BY the government of the
United States Of America, according to
your excellency's note referred to
above. the imperial government has.
from the beginning. not only asserted.
but also practically carried out to the
fullest extent, in its Chinese possess
sions. absolute equality of treatment
Of all nations with regard to trade,
navigation and commerce. The impe-
rial government entertains no thought
Of departing in the future from this
principle, which at once excludes any
prejudicial or disadvantag eous COM
mercial treatment of the citizens Of the
United States Of America. so long as
1t is not forced to do so, on account Of
considerations Of reciprocity, by d.
vergence from 1t by other governments.
II, therefore, the other powers inter-
ested In the industrial development of
the Chinese empire are willing to rec
ognize the same principles, this can
only be desired by the imperial govern
ment. which In this case upon being
requested viii gladly be ready to par,
ticipate with the United States Of
America and the other powers In an
agreement made upon these lines, by
which the same rights are reciprocally
secured" :
The answer from Russia recited the
fact that the settlement Of the collec-
ton Of customs belonged to China her
self, and that the Russian government
had no intention Of claiming privileges
for its subjects that were denied to for
eigners-this. however. being on the
that other powers would
make a similar declaration. The Rus
sian note closed as follows:
with the conviction that this reply
is such as to satisfy the inquiry made
in the aforementioned note,- the i'm
perial government is happy to have
complied with the wishes of the Amer
lean government. especially as it at
taches the highest value to anything
that may strengthen and consolidate
the traditional relations of friendship
existing between the two countries"
/. The French note was exceedingly
brief. It was received Dec. 16 last
from NJ. tDelcasse. the minister for for
eign affairs, by Ambassador Porter,
and is as follows: iar5
"The declarations which made In
the chamber on the Gath of November
last, and which have had occasion to
recall to you since then, show clearly
the sentiments Of the government OF
the republic. .ta "E..
1T desires throughout the whole OF
China, and, with the quite natural
reservation that all the powers inter-
ested give an assurance OF their will
ingness to act likewise, is ready to ap-
ply in the territories which are leased
to it, equal treatment to the citizens
and subjects of all nations, especially
in the matter of custom duties and
navigation dues. as we'll as transporta-
ton tariffs on railways" @#
The Labor Delegate
M ~ T..