Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-02-14
WE KNEW IT.
The Treaty Was Submitted to United
States Before Signing.

London. Feb. 1.-THE parliamentary
secretary of foreign affairs, Lord Gran
borne. replying in the House of Commons
today, to Henry Norman IiberaD. whp
asked whether the Anglo-Japanese trea-
ty- of alliance was communicated to the
United States government before its text
was published and, if 50, whether the
government OF the United States express
ed any opinion thereon. said the sub
stance of the agreement was communi-
Gated to the United States government
before publication. The United States did
not express any opinion on the subject.
Mr.. Norman Tin the House of Com
mons) said he objected to the British
Japanese treaty on the ground that il
was evidently an anti-Russian threat.
and that it tied Great Britain to the
wheels of the Japanese policy where
by she might be forced TO war against
her own interests.
Lord Cranborne said the new treaty
was merely along lines already ac-
cepted by almost every power. Great
Britain's commercial position, though
great. was not challenged. Spheres OF
influence did not suit her. She want
ed the whole of China open to indus
trial enterprise. Lord Cranborne said
in conclusion:
Throughout ali the doings in China
the relations between Great Britain
and the United States were marked by
the greatest cordially. At almost
every crisis and in the case of every
small difficulty which had arisen dur
ing the negotiations at Pekin, the
Dc;f ;.Ix "a
tiyes had always acted together. There
is no doubt that in this agreement we
shall command the full approval of the
government of the United States
This statement was received with
cheers. The Liberal leader, Sir Henry
Campbell Zimmerman. thought that the
identical interests of Great Britain. the
United States and Japan could have
been sufficiently secured by an inter-
change of notes.
The government leader. A. J. Bal
four, said there seemed to be an i'm
preston that something hostile to
peace was behind the agreement. That
was not so. The treaty was not based
on secret information of impending
dangers. but on the broad facts Of
British interests.
The House. under closure. by a vote
Of 26l to 16S, adopted that one of Mr..
Balfour's new rules Of procedure to
which there had been the most opposi-
ton. This rule requires that a sus-
pended member shall apologize to the
House.
The foreign secretary. Lord Lans-
downe. in the House of Lords. today.
made somewhat similar reply on the
subject Of the new dual alliance to the
ore made in the House of Commons.
today. by the under foreign secretary,
Lord Cranborne.
Lord Lansdownc added that so far as
the treaty concerned the integrity of
China. Mancburia must be taken as form
ing part OF the Chinese empire. The OBJ
iect Of the alliance was threc-fold--tbe
maintenance of the status quo. the pol
Icy of the open door ana the maintenance
Of peace in the far East. No other pow
ers interested in the far East were mt all
comparable with those Of Great Britain
and Japan.
In these DAYS war broke out with a sud
denncss which was not the case in former
years. So the country adopting without
reservation the doctrine that all alliances
must be avoided must he endowed with
an extraordinary amount of self-sufficien-
cy. ----4
The treaty was not connected with the
governments decision regarding Wei
Uai-Wei. But the maintenance of indie
pendence of japan and the protection of
Corea We're OF the utmost Importance 20
Great Britain as well as Japan.
Lord Rosebery expressed general APP
prevail of the treaty. tle said that the