Evening star., 1901-12-18
Importance of Preserving the "Open-
Door, Principle
DELEGATION Sees THE PRESIDENT
Interests of Americans in the Orient
Represented.
A GRIEVANCE IN JAPAN

Among those present were Cyrus D. Webb,
president of the association and also of the
China and Japan Trading Company; Sam
uel d. Brewster, first vice president; Jo-
seph r. Patterson, treasurer; o. H. Payne
of the Westinghouse Manufacturing Com
pany; Clarence Cary of New York, attorney
for certain American interests in China; ID.
A. Tompkins of Charlotte, N. c.; A. 7.
Leftwich and John Foord, secretary of the
association.
They called the Presidents attention to
the growing Importance of Manchuria as
market for American surplus products, the
eminence already attained by this coun-
try as the chief contributor to the imports
of the Manchurian treaty port of New
chwang and the enormous possibilities that
exist for foreign commerce within that vast
and fertile territory, the development of
whose resources is only beginning; these
things combining to render the present
anomalous condition of affairs there a mat
ter of natural solicitude to the productive
interests of the United States. The gentle
men voiced their hearty approval of the
policy outlined in the memorandum of the
Department of State of March 1, 1901, in
which this government expressed its sense
of the improperly, ineXpediency and even
extreme danger to the interests of China of
considering any private territorial or tinan-
cial arrangements with any particular pow
eT without the Iuli hHOWleiSe anu approval
of the rest.
They regard it as in the highest degree
probable that this timely protest did much
toward bringing about the abandonment of
a most Objectionable agreement in regard
to Manchuria, which was then being pressed
upon China. and were fully convinced
that a resoiute adhesion to the atti-
tude thus assumed toward the preserva-
ton of the territorial integrity of China
will be fully sustained by the people of the
United States.
Another Agreement Eeing Considered.
But, the gentlemen added, they were
credibly informed that an agreement only
less Objectionable than that whose negotia-
tions was the subject of diplomatic protest
last March is now under discussion, and
that its conclusion would seriously impair
the equality of opportunity for all forms of
commercial and other enterprise which is
assured by treaty to citizens of the United
States in Manchuria. as in other parts of
the Chinese empire. They hope that no
contraction of the commercial or other
rights guaranteed to American citizens by
treaty with the Chinese empire will be per-
mitted under cover of special privileges,
eXtorted from the Chinese government by
any other power They regard it as equally
desirable that the foreign administratio
of the treaty port of Newchwang should
come to an end, and that the speedy re-
sumption of control by the Chinese author
tiles should be insisted on as a pledge of
the absence of any intention to separate
the three northern provinces, in whole or in
part, from the rest of the empire. $3.50
The Open Door to Eastern Markets.
1t is of supreme Importance to the future
of the commerce of the United States that
the principle Of the open door to the great
undeveloped markets of eastern Asia should
be preserved intact, and the government of
the United States can most effectively pro-
this en6- nSiDp all re ipGnenna
to prevent other nations from taking ad-
vantage of the present weakness of China.
Consistent adhesion to this policy has al
ready earned for the United States the
gratitude of the Chinese government, and
cannot fail to rebound to the common ad-
vantage of both nations.
AS the expansion of the commerce be-
tween the two countries must depend as
much on the enlarged volume of Chinese
exports to the United States as of those
of the United States to China, the Asiatic
Association believes that there should be a
repeal of the duty now levied on tea. At
the same time, they said, the abnormaily
large export duty collected on tea before
being shipped from China might properly
form the subject of representations to the
imperial government.
Further Provision Needed.
In expressing satisfaction at the success
Of the plenipotentiary of the United States
in securing the insertion of provision for
the retention of cereals and -four on the
free list In the protocol reciting the terms
of peace, the members of the association
called attention to the fact that the COM
plete extinction of the free list, in other
respects, and the increase of the entire
range of import duties, render it more than
ever desirable that satisfactory provision
should be made in the new treaties to Sc
cure the validity of the transit passes which
are intended to clear imported merchandise
from all further taxation, in the form of
likin or otherwise both on its way to the
island market and after it's arrival there
The President was also assured of the
hearty sympathy of the association with
the efforts which are making to establish
an American Asiatic bank in China and the
Philippines.
Delegation at the Capitol.
After seeing the President, the members
of the delegation appeared before the SEN
at committee on immigration to urge that
an exception be made in the proposed Chi
nese exclusion law in favor of Chinese mer-
chants who desire to come to this country.
They next appeared before a subcommittee
of the House committee on foreign affairs.
and laid before 1t some of the objects they
have in view.
They spoke in favor of fair treatment to
Chinese merchants travellers and students
while Representative Kahn who represents
the San Francisco district, including China
town, and Herman Gutstadt, representing
the Federation of Labor, spoke for rigid
exclusion of the Chinese.
The members of the Asiatic Association
maintained that at time when the United
States was seeking trade opportunities in
China there should be no harsh legislation
against the Chinese, particularly Chinese
merchants. From personal experience IN
China, the members of the association paid
high tribute to the mercantile branch of
the Chinese.
Representative Kahn urged the necessity
OF strict exclusion. In response to sug-
gestions that there was division of opin-
ion on the subject Mr.. Kahn stated that
the mercantile community Of San Francisco
was about three to one for exclusion, a re-
cent test vote by the Merchants Associa-
tfon having shown this result.
Foreign Land Titles In Japan.
Members of the delegation have also
had an important conference with Secretary
Hay over troublesome complication which
has arisen in Japan. The new treaties with
Japan, since extra-territoriality was abol-
ished, place the rights of foreigners to hold
real estate on new basis These treaties
found In existence in Japanese cities certain
foreign settlements occupied by merchants
OF various nationalities who had acquired