Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-03-27
CHINA IS GIVEN
WORD OF WARNING
Must Make No Agreement With.
out Full knowledge of
the Powers.
TREATY HAS NOT BEEN SIGNED
China Has Not Yet Formally Agreed
to Russia's Demands in
Manchuria.

i'll the Chinese question, brought
about through the expiration of the
period allowed for the signatur by
China of the Manchurian agreement,
was the principal topic before the
cabinet yesterday. The conviction
obtained that the United States had
done all that it could properly TO pre-
vent the consummatiOn of this agree
ment, and to make clear TO the public
the complete disapprOval which is
entertained by the United States gov
ernment for this sort of secret treaty
making. it was deemed proper to give
out for publication the following mem-
orundum:
Memorandum to the Powers.
Chinese correspondence - March 1,
to the representatives of the United
States i'll Berlin, Vienna, Paris, Lon
GUn. Rome, Tokyo and st. Petersburg:
department of State, Washington,
March /, 19OI.-The following MEM
orandum, which was handed to the
Chinese minister on Feb. -, is trans
mitted to you for your information
and communication to the government
to which you are accredited:
The preservation of the territorial
integrity OF China having been recog-
niZed by all the powers now engaged
ia joint negotiation concerning the in
jurieS recently inflicted upon their
ministers and nationals by certain
officials and subjects of the Chinese
empire. it is evidently advantageous
to China TO continue the present inter
national understanding upon this sub
ject.
China Unwise to Make Private Treaty.
1t would be, therefore, unwise and
dangerous in the extreme for China 10
make any arrangement or to consider
any proposition of Il private nature
involving the surrender of territory or
financial obligations by convention
with any particular power: and the
government of the United States, aim
ing solely ut the preservation of China
from the danger Indicated and the
conservation of the largest and most
beneficial relation between the empire
and other countries, i'll accord
auce with the principles set forth i'll
its circular note of ~July ;. 1900, and
in a purely friendly spirit toward the
Chinese empire and all the powers
now interested in the negotiations, de
sireS to express its sense of the i'm
prOpriety. ineXpediencY. and even eN-
IRENE danger to the interests of China
of considering any private territorial
or financial arrangements, at least
without the full knowledge and APP
proVal of all the powers now engaged
i'll negotiation"
Americas Status Unchanged.
Assuming that the arrangement is
to be carried out it is still the con
tention of the state department that
nothing has occurred to change the
status of the United States toward the
"open door" as applied to any part of
China, including Manchuria. As far
as written pledges can commit Il pow
eT, Russia stands pledged to accord
TO the United States the open door
if she takes control of Manchuria eth
er directly by annexation or Indirect
ly. but quite as effectually, by the
means proposed in this RussO-ChineSe
agreement That is the view of the
state department, and that view is in
dOrsed by the cabinet.
Violation of General Understanding.
The administration believes that the
secret agreement between Russia and
China is in violation of the spirit if
not the letter of the general under
standing TO which all the powers sub
Scribed last summer and the United
States government is prepared TO use
all its moral SuaSiOn and influence to
prevent its cOnSummation. Further
than that however, this government is
not prepared to go. The president and
member of the cabinet believe it is CON
ceivable that Russia is entitled. per-
haps, to some separate guarantees
from China for the protection of its
railroad concession in Manchuria. but
not to the extent which it is under
stood the cars government is to OBJ
tain by the secret treaty. This gov
ernment has sinfOrmationregard this
treaty, and while there is no indica-
tiOn of the exact nature or source OF
this information. it is considered ac-
curate and definite The president and
cabinet. it is understood. have no di-
rect information concerning the inn
minent rupture between Russia and
Japan, or its extent. but the develop
ments are being watched with eager
interest. Generally it is not believed
here that there will be a collision be-
tween the tN powers as there is a
strong impression that Japan would
not undertake war with Russia sin
Gle-handed and there is no Indication
that she would be joined by another
nOWpr