The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1900-01-04
DOOR THROWN OPEN.
Commerce in China TO be Open to the
World.
TIE FIRST,CLASS POWERS AGRtE
Great Britain, Russia, Germany,
France, Italy and Japan Fall into Line
With the United States.

Washington, h. c., Special-The
negotiations opened by Secretary Hay
with the great powers Of Europe and
with Japan towards securing a COM
mon understanding for a continued
open door policy throughout China,
have met with most gratifying results.
The State Department Is unwilling at
present to make public the nature O!
the replieJ ire iajved, as this informa-
tiCn will be embodied In a special mas-
sage to Congress. Bnt in other quar-
t6Ts, thoroughly reliable, and in posi-
tion TO have trustworthy and accurate
Information It .5 learned that favor
able responses have been made by
Great Britain, Germany. France, Rus
s!7, tthe Rds5i2n com munlcltion com
Ing as late as yesterday, ana Japan.
There is no doubt, It Is thought ere,
that Italy, the remaining country ad-
dressed. will make favorable answer,
If indeed it has not already done so.
The position OF Europe Is felt 10 be
assured by the favorable course adopt
cd by tho four other great powers OF
Europe.
The Importance OF this unanimous
verdict by oil the fr5t-class powers oil
the world-Gycat Britain, Russia, Ger
many, France, Italy and Japan, in
.onjunction with the United States,
can hardly be oypr-esHmated so far as
it relates to the future of China and
the commerce Of the world in that
empire. The State Department is
loath to discuss the far-relchinS re-
suits to be secured when the agree
ment advances TO the stage of formal
cOnsummation, for each favorable
response is conditional on the favor
able action Of all the other parties, 50
that in each case, the negotiations may
be regarded as short OF absoute llnali-
~. But while the department is sill
ont, the details come from sources BE-
lleved 20 be fully conversant with
what has occurred.
According to this information, the
British answer was the first to be sub
mitted, and was exceptionally compre-
heIsive and explicit in yielding 10
every suggestion made by the United
States relative to maintaining tho
freest entry to the ports of China. The
British answer IS said to emphasize
the concurrence with the United
states by ,.iopt.n5, word fer word
much OF the phraseology employed by
Secretary Hay where he addressed his
original note to Great Britain and the
other powers. The wording is such as
TO make plain that the British gov
ernment conCurs, for the present and
hereafter, IN q policy OF free access to
China.
Although much secrecy was OBJ
served in the transmission Of the
British answer, it's general purport
soon became known at the other
European capitals, and there was not
p little irritation ut what was regarded
as a precipitate response, purposely de-
signed to cmJaTasS the continental
powers by showing Great Britain and
the United States acting in cOncent
while the rest OF the world held aloof
But this situation was made much
more satisfactory to the contineaCaI
powers by their determination to act
for themselves. Germany is said to
have been the next power to answer
in the affirmative. According to the
information already referred to. the
German answer was rather mora vague
than the one which had preceded it
bat its general tendency was favorable
the only condition being that any ar
rangement as to free access to China
would be universal, and assented to by
oil Of the powers.
The replies of France, Russia and
the other great powers involved are
understood to be favorable.