The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-08
RUSSIA SHOWED IRRITATION
WHEN HER GOOD FAITH WAS
QUESTIONED A YEAR 400.

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Correspondence Between secretary hay
and Count LamsdorfI Over the Neeo'
! tiAtion by Russis Of . Secret Treaty.
WIN China Regardins Manchufta'
WASHINGTON, May Traditional light
IL thrown upon the extent OF the lntereet
shown by the United States In the Man
{; ohurian situation in correspondence DE-
tween this Government and that OF Russia
I access to which was permitted by the state
Department to-day. This correspondence
took plaoe more than year ago. when
the United States learned Of the endeavor
Of the Russian Government to negotiate
! with China q seoret treaty giving exclu-
sive advantages to Russia. but the att
tude then assumed by Secretary Hay was
90 similar to his position In the existing
situation that the text Of the communicA-
tons exchanged at the time are OF I'M.
portanoe and interest.
Mr.. Hay, in defining the position OF
his Government. did not hesitate to make
polite but Enthusiastically vigorous objec-
ton to the supposed attempt OF Rusds
to secure actual. II not nominal, control
Of Manchuria. This drew from Count
LAmsdor6. the Russian Minister for
Foreign Affairs, assurances in writing
that Russia had no intention Of violating
the principle Of the 'open door," as under
stood by the Imperial Government. and
that Manchuria would be restored to China.
There Is enough in the notes Of Secretary
Hay and Count Lamsdorf to indicate that
both nations were irritated
One important disclosure in the CORE
spondence is that Russia suspected that
the United States Government was Il party
to the alliance between England and Japan
for the preservation Of Chins's integrity.
Thie suspicion was based on the fact that
the objections TO Russia's course In Man
churia were made on Feb. I, 1909, the day
following tho signing Of tho English-Jap-
anese alliance treaty. but before tho fact
that 1t had been negotiated was known to
Russia or any Of the other Powers.
Surmisins that thisGopernment know Of the
treaty, perhaps through betng a silent party
20 its provisions, and was emholdened By
that fact to take Russia to task for its policy
toward Manchuria. tho Russian Govern
ment limited a. much in such way a. to
bring the hint to tho attention Of the State
Department. The result was an expaa-
nation from Mr., Hay thst the United States
SOV6TuIOoUt ON nov KNOW OI Jue Edt8Ilhls
japanese alliance, until 1t was announced TO
all the world. and that it had not consulted
England or Japan In regard to Russis's
Manchurian policy. The story is briefly
told in this official paraphrase OF tele-
gram sent by Secretary Hay to Mr.. Tower,
then United States Ambassador At st.
Petersburg:
70 Count Lam Lam sSoIa tina. tie nssotIsts.o'a +
the United States until the day Of the publ
sssh nor !0 the S J.psnes. i ns was
the Russian and chine.e Giovernmen4 ~
pro ximlty OF the dates OF the treaty and
memorandum referred TO was purely aoci-
dental
The attitude Of Mr.. Hay concerning the re-
ported attempt Of Russia 70 negotiate
ave privilege In Manchuris was embodied
in instructions 70 Ambassador Tower,
who thereupon Addressed formal noto
to Count Lamsdorf. That note was a.
follows:
in.t,ussed 70 say ,h:t The Gevs1nms ,,t
China should extend 70 sorpora,t s,, CON.
TO open mines, construct railways or to exert
other indus,rial prtyilexes 49,.
~ u the belief OF the Government OF the
United Sta tes that by permitting or creating
contrayene the treaties which 1t has already
injure the he rishts 81 Xmeriosn citizens by
restricting legitimate trade: also that such
action would lead to the sng "a Fl CHI
Other Powers a. we'll might be eHpsss s. to
parts Of the Chinese Empire, which would
destroy the policy OF equal treatment OF AZ
in sId. to navigation and
., am further Instructed 70 convey 70 your
E1cellency the sentiment Of the United States
Power OF exclusive PRIVILEGES In China ier
Its own subjects or its own commerce would
given By the Imperial Russian Ministry for
Fereiyn Ansirs TO 81. United States o, TIE
IS that policy had besn sdvoceted BY the
United States and accepted by all the Powers
Count LaInsdorns response wae APP
parenuy frank. but in it some dignifed
resentment was shown over the interfer-
ence Of tho United States IN negotiations
between I've entirely independent s,ate..
The, imperial Government. always DESTROYS
tons with the United States, Is fully disposed
to remove the snx!esy , Which ths Proposed
pear 10 have ca used the Cabinet at Washing
ton. but It feels itself bound at the same time
to declare that negotiations carried on b.
subjects To be submitted to the approval Of
other Powers,
There /. no thought Of attacking the prin-
ciplo OF the open door rs that principle is
understood by the Imperial Government of
Russia. and Russia has no intention whatever
to change tho policy followed by her In that
respect up to the present time.
II the Rusac-China Bank should obtain con-
ccssons 10 China. tho agreements OF Il priyste
character rotating to them would not dl6rr
from those heretofore concluded by 30 many
other foreign corporations. Rpt would Il
not ~ very strange " the door that is open
to certain nations should be clo~ed to Russia.
whose frontier ndjoins that 81 Marchuria.
and who has hecn forced by recent events TO
send her troops into that province 10 re-
establish order In ,he nlsin and common IN.
terrst OF all nations'
1t 10 true that Russia has conquered Man
termination to restore 1t to China and recan
her troope as soon a. the conditions Of eyAoa-
alton shall have been agreed upon and the
necessary steps taken 70 prevent fresh
outbreak Of troubles 10 the neishborinS
territory. 49,
II Is impossible to deny to an independent
STATE the nsht 70 Grant TO others such con.
every reason 70 believe that. the demands |
Of the Russo-Chineee Bank do not In ths !
least exceed those that have been 20 otsAn