Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-02-10

GtBantIc F1eId OF commerce " Aicn
Lies In sIberIa-BIg Railroad Line
to Develop It-American Manufnc-
lures Declared TO Be Better Than
Any In the World.
Count de Cassini. the Russian en-
bassador at Washington. recently dis
cussed with the correspondent of the
Chicago Times-Herald the relations Of
his government to the United States
and the possibilities of the open door"
in the orient.
Whether or not the Russian open
door at Vladivostok and Talien Wan is
hospitable 10 American products is 4
matter of fact and not of argument"
he said. Russia has been decidedly
friendly to the merchants and manu-
facturers of the United States. In the
projection of vast enterprises under
way in Siberia the imperial Russian
government has been at some pains to
seek American markets and to make
important purchases therein.
Russia has purchased from the
United States thousands and thousands
of tons of steel rails for the construc
ton of the Siberian railroad. 1t also
has purchased more than 800 lOcomo-
tives in the United States. These have
been shipped to Russia and Siberia
and, together with the warships manu-
featured by tie Cramps, make n con-
siderable account. These purchases
were not made altogether because the
imperial Russian government was
friendly to the United States, but be-
cause the manufactures of the United
States are not only cheaper but better
than any others In the world.
when the United States, some so
years ago. contemplated the Pacific
railroads as dream, the task was not
as difficult as that which confronted
Russia, but both succeeded. 1t is only
necessary for America to look back TO
those days and remember the barren
wastes of weary miles which have
grown into prosperous aud pOpulous
states to understand the possibilities
which the Transsiberian railroad opens
TO the world.
siberia is equal i'll area to Canada
and the United States. 1t is equal in
diversified resources. a scattered pop
ulation of about 100000 occupies this
empire. With the growth of the Unit
ed States from similar causes as an eX-
ample it is well within bounds to say
that in Siberia lies the greatest market
and the largest theater for American
enterprise since the Pacific railroads
opened up your own west.
Russia offers the most alluring in
duccmentS 10 American capital To as
sist III the development of this empire.
In the first place, all mining and aGri-
cultural machinery destined for this re-
gion is absolutely free of duty or 9th
cr hindrance ut the port of fallen Wan
or NladiVOStok. All articles of first
necessity are also free. and the same is
true of foodstufs which enter largely
into the life of the poorer classes.
Russia is determined that the ad
vantages freely offered to Americans
shall be understood. To this end ar
engagements are being made for an
American Russian exhibit to follow the
Paris exposition. Merchants and man
ufacturers will be invited TO display
their goods ut either Moscow or ST. Pc
tersburg. and negotiations are being
favorably considered by Russia to
transfer the whole Russian exhibit at
the Paris exposition To Philadelphia as
Il permanent exhibition. Americans
WHO utSlTe 10 dNdll themselves OIL lIle
advantages OF the Moscow or st. Pc
tersburg exposition will be given great
ly reduced freight rates and other sub
stantial inducements TO make this in
ternational affair a complete success
and lasting benefit TO the two people
concerned.
so far as the China trade at fallen
Wan is concerned. only the Chinese du-
ties will be collected, but as the bust
ness at Talien Wan will be Siberian
rather than Chinese of course the Unit
ed States is more interested in the lat
ter aspect. For this reason Russia has
had TO consider a very delicate and
complicated problem in determining
the answer to the United States con-
corning the open door.
primarily the door was open and
will always remain open. 1t is a case
of sheer necessity, but interests of i'm
perial magnitude had TO be safeguard
ed. The same assurance which would
be very easy and natural in the case of
a mere market port established for the
same reason that merchant opens a
store could not be so easily given re-
garding n port intended 20 supply the
wants OF Siberia and be the entrepot
of the gigantic commerce which will
result when the Transsiberian railroad
clips 80 TO 30 days from the journey
round the world