Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-02
The Open Door.

All present indications point to the COM
plete success of the efforts now being made
by this government to persuade the powers
to preserve the "open door of trade in
China. Such an outcome will reflect high
credit upon the diplomatic agencies of the
United States and the full record, when
written, will in this prospect constitute one
of the greatest achievements in recent his
tory. A statement of the situation, printed
in today's news columns, indicates the
scope of the undertaking. Here is the
United States, with clean hands as to con-
tinental holdings in Asia. laying before the
interested and mutually suspicious nations
of Europe and Asia plan to check all fur
Their aggreSsions aud to maintain existing
| trade obligations. 1t seemed perhaps at
first glance a simple proposition. that of
continuing to recognize all existing Amer
lean treaty rights. But 1t had far more
significant aspect. In its last analysis the
American proposal was for the powers to
cease encroachirg upon the Chinese sover-
eighty, to respect all present obligations, to
refrain from such sovereignty establish
ments as would in any way interfere with
the free course of commerce through the
great empire.
The United States does not step forward
with the concrete proposal to keep hands
negatives, acquired by friendly negotia-
lions. be respected. 1t is better qualified
to take the initiative in this matter than
any of the other powers great enough to
command respect. 1t is known to have no
continental aspirations. 1t is involved in
no schemes of Asiatic politics. 1t seeks no
sphere of influence 1t has thus been
able to do what England, nor Japan, nor
Germany, nor France could do and least
of all Russia. The news article today
fers to this peculiar situation in explana-
tory terms, showing what the open door
means, and what it involves. 1t is clear
from this statement that unless one of the
powers now about to be pledged formally
to the American program abruptly violates
its agreement, thereby involving the chance
of friction not only with the United States
but with all of the other contributors to
the bargain, China will remain sovereign
entity, under the constant surveillance of
the progressive nations of the earth.
With the open door maintained accord
ing to the American view, slight reason re-
mains for the extension Of spheres of in
fluence. which are little else than preimi-
nary stages in the acquisition of a sover-
eighty Trade is certain to be encouraged
under competition free to all, regulated
by treaty and protected by the authorities
now on the ground. The best effect of this
process will be China's gradual emancipa-
ton from the thrall of her conservatism,
and in the final reckoning the credit will
belong, not so much to those powers which
have forced their way into the empire, but
to the United States, which, with its high
prestige and its straightforward diploma
cy, at the critical juncture advanced
proposition to solve the problem upon the
most satisfactory basis possible. And if
incidentally the peace of Europe is con-
served by this same process the credit will
likewise belong to the western republic