The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-03-28
OPEN DOOR is NOW ASSURED.
FINAL STEPS TAKEN IN SECURING
THE DESIRED END.
Powers All Notified That Each Has
Agreed to the Propositions Laid
Down by the United states With
Regard to Trade in China-The
Declaration Asked for aud the Fa-
vOrable Replies of the Powers
Concerned Sent to Congress.

concerned sent to Congress.
Washington. March 27.-Secretary Hay
to-day submitted to Congress the corre-
spondence had with the governments of
Great Britain, France, Germany, Russia,
Italy and Japan respecting the mainte-
nance of an open door in China. The
correspondence extended from Sept. last
to the Goth instant, the last date mark
ing the successful completion OF the un-
dertaking.
On Sept. the state department ad
dressed to our ambassadors at London,
Berlin and st. Petersburg copies of
formal declaration" setting out the de-
sires of our government in the matter of
the open door. Italy and Japan were sim
ilarly addressed about a month later.
While the formal declarations" sent
to the ambassadors We're similar, yet
each of the officers adopted a different
phraseology in addressing themselves TO
the governments to which they are ac-
credited, the dominant note being best
set forth perhaps in Ambassador Choate's
note to the British government. After
reciting the importance to both govern
ments of the matter he is directed to pre-
sent the Presidents understanding that
the British settled policy is freedom of
trade in China for all the world alike.
Though conceding certain spheres of in
fiuence by formal treaties with Germany
and Russia, Ambassador Choate points
out to Lord Salisbury that maintenance
Of this policy is alike urgently demanded
by the commercial communities of our
two nations in order to improve existing
conditions, and enable extension of their
future operations.
The note then says:
Danger of Complications.
while the government of the United
States will in no way commit itself to any
recognition of the exclusive rights of any
power within or control over any portion
of the Chinese empire. under such agree-
ments as have been recently made, il can
not conceal its apprehensons that there is
danger of complications arising between
the treaty Powers which may imperil the
rights insured to the United States by it's
treaties with China.
y" "It is the sincere desire of my govern
ment that the interests of its citizens may
not be prejudiced through exclusive treat
ment by any of the controlling Powers
within their respective sphere of interest
in China, and 1t hopes to retain there an
open market for all the worlds commerce,
remove dangerous sources of interna-
tional irritation. and thereby hasten unit
ed action of the Powers at Pekin to pro-
mote admins trative reforms so greatly
needed for strengthening the imperial gov
ernment and maintaining the integrity of
China, in which il believes the whole
Western world Is alike concerned. 1t be-
lieves that such a result may be greatly
aided and advanced by declarations by
the various Powers claiming spheres of
interest in China as to their intention In
regard to the treatment of foreign trade
and commerce therein, and that the pres
ent is very favorable moment for in
forming Her Majesty's government of the
desire of the United States to have ID
make on It's own part and to lend its
powerful support in the effort to obtain
from each of the various Powers claiming
spheres of interest in China, declara-
ton substantially to the following effect:
The Declaration wanted.
"0) That ID will in no wise interfere
with any treaty port or any vested in
terest within any so-called sphere of in
terest' or leased territory it may have
in China.
"(2) That the Chinese treaty tariff of
the time being shall apply 10 all mer-
chandise landed or shipped to all such
ports as are within such spheres of in
J,
matter to what nationality it may belong,
and that duties so leviable' shall be coll
lected by the Chinese government
"(3) That II will levy no higher har-
Dor dues on vessels of another national
ity frequenting any port in such sphere
than shall be levied on vessels of its own
nationality, and no higher railroad
Grated within its sphere on merchan-
disc belonging to citizens or subjects of
other nationalities transported through
such sphere than shall be levied on sim
liar merchandise belonging to its own ma
tionallty transported over equal dis
tances.
1.-The President has strong reason to be-
lieve that the governments of both Rus
sia and Germany will cooperate in such
an understanding as is here proposed"
The note here refers to the recent ukase
of the Czar declaring Ta-Lien-Wan, which
Russia has leased. open to the world, and
Germanys declaring Kiao-Chao a free
port, and other steps taken, including oral
assurance given the United States as to
the German sphere as Indicating that
little opposition wasI expected from those
two Powers Japan also is cited as proba-
bly, favorable to the proposition.
Mr. Choate's note concludes:
1.-THE prompt and sympathetic co-opera-
ton of Her MaJesty's government with the
United States in this important matter
will be very potent In promoting its adop-
ton by all the Powers concerned"
S. Lord saIisbury's Reply.
Lord Salsbury's formal answer dated
Nov. 90, 1899, follows:
~ have much pleasure in informing
your excellency that Her Majestys gov
ernment will be prepared to make a de-
claration in the sense desired by your
government i'm regard to the leased ter
ritory Of Wei-Hai-Wei and all territory
in China which may hereafter be acquir-
ed by Great Britain, by lease or other
" ise, and all spheres of interest now held
or that may hereafter be held by her IN
China, provided that similar declaration
is made by the other Powers concerned"
what Germany Said.
on Feb 10, Count Won Buelow submit
ted the formal answer of the German
government based upon a promise that
sa tisfac3ory written replies had been made
by other Powers. The German note fol-
lows:
81 have the honor TO inform Your Ex-
cellency, repeating the statements already
made verbally ag follows