New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-10-26
RUSSIA AGAINST AMERICA
Closing of Open Door Sad To Be
Russia Chief dim.
he Editor al IL Trlbune.

- n
their views throws upon the situation IN the
Far East the strongest illumination II has 70.
had Beneath such illumination IL is 10 be seen
that Russia regards America as her chief ensnv
and that Russian proceedings in Manchuria are
directed primarily against this country. Thai
saIient feature Of the case may be unwelcoune u
MANY especially to those uhO have cherished
the legend concerning Russia's "traditiona'
friendship" for neutrality-suspicious. trad
tionaI friendship" for freedom-but II IS true
and il should not be obscured by sentiment or
by the smoke and dust OF the Russo-Japaness
vrran.le over Corea. II ia the latest develop
nent Of the persistent. insidious and vir,llent
anti American campaign which Russia has been
conducting for number OF years. especially
since the promulgation Of the American policy
of the open door in China That Russian
campaign has been conducted By Characters
ticalIy Russian methods. II has at times been
hidden, and often has been ignored by thoss
who should have perceived II. though warnings
Of it's progress and intent have frequently been
given. To-day it stands disclosed and confessed
In Russia's open Reputation Of her pIedgea IN
declarations that American relations with China
are hostile 70 Russian interests. and in intinaa-
lions that American treaties with China must
no revised at ST Petersburg az Russian dicta-
ton
Let us review in brief the history OF ire case
The policy Of the United States toward China
was clearly defined and established in the treaty
OF 1853 which provided that should at any
time the Ia Using Empire grant 20 any nation.
or the merchants or citizens Of any nation. any
right. privilege or favor. connected either with
navigation commerce, political other inter-
course which IS not conferred By this treaty.
such right privilege and favor shall az once
freely inure to the benefit OF the United States.
its public officers merchants and citizens
Again. in the treaty OF 1868 1t was stipulated
that "cftizens Of the United States visiting or
residing in China shall enjoy the same priv
ueges. innrnunities or exemptions in respect to
travel or residence may there be enjoyed By
tn. citizens or subjects OF the most favored
nation In those conventions was embodied the
germ of the "open door policy. The United
States asked for no favOrs which il not
willing all other nations should enjoy and It In
sisted that IT should enjoy all that were granted
10 others. Neither on its side. that OF
anv other power should there be exclusive priv
ileges.
This was a somewhat novel doctrine 70 most
OF the European powers IN dealing with So
called inferior people. such as they regarded
the Chinese to be Especially strange and 90
nOxious was it TO Russia. whose policy has al
WAYS been exclusive and r1OnopoIistic IN the
highest possible degree. But China was as YET
so little exploited when those treaties were
made. and Europe was so far from being in close
touch with 1t. that the treaty stipulatiors we-s
largely overlooked as something merely acad-
emic. or. at any rate. not vet brought into the
domain of practical politics As time went 81
various powers sought more or less EXCLUSIVES
privileges and concessions in China. in spheres
OF influence" and China granted some Of them.
in violation OF her agreement with TIE United
States -Four or five years ago the question q
the open door became acute. The -aggress-ors
Of several powers. notably of Russia I'm the north
and of France in the south. reused Great Brit
ain 10 the necessity Of doing something TO con-
serve her own interests. She must si-IeT set
the open door principle established BY con-
sent Of all nations, herself go in Cor Re-
sphere Of influence" and exclusive concessions.
Her efforts for the open door were. however.
fruitIess and she presently in despair abandoned
them and began plotting out her sphere % "a
huence." The practical partition OF the Chinese
Empire appeared to he impending. occur
renee which would have been welcome 70 Rus
STA, since her geographical position assured her
the major part Of the spoil
Then America stepped in. In the fan OF 1899
Secretary Hay addressed to the chief powers
concerned a note asking for their specific ad-
herence to the open door principle. which had
been promulgated by America in China more
than forty years before. One after another re-
sponded favorabIy. Russia most reluctantly OF
all Indeed we might say Russia was the only
one that seemed at all reluctant or inclined to
express herself in equivoCal terms. But az last
even from Russia the American Government
secured a direct and formal pledge 20 maintain
the open door in China. In that achievement
a great victory for American diplomacy. for IN
ternational peace and friendship and FOR COM
merciaI equity was supposed TO have been Won
1t would have been won il all the powers had
been sincere in their approval Of the open door
policy. There has been no reason to doubt the
sincerity of any of them save one. but what
ever doubts may have arisen at any time con-
corning her sincerity are now seen ia have had
ample ground.
1t was in the early part Of 1900 that Russia
pledged herself to the maintenance Of the open
door" 1t was Just year later that she strova
to slam shut that door in the face Of America
and of the world. In March. 1901 she strove 20
force upon China a treaty practically giving
Russia exclusive control of 0Ianchuria. Non
golia. Sungaria. Yarkand and Eastern Tu-Ae-
stan-haIf Of the Chinese Empire In all that
region Russians alone were TO build railroads.
| open mines lease or purchase land. or serve IN
| the army or navy. China made appeal 70 the
other powers for aid. and under their reEnon-
| stranCes Russia was constrained 20 hold her &C.
mands in allegiance But she did not abandon
them. In the fall of that year she made a treaty
with China. agreeing to eyacuate NanceUria ~
April 1893. But she never took a step toward
such evacuation. When she time for fuH evacu-
alton came she made new demands for exclusive
/ privileges to wit thar none but Russians should
| open mines or build railways or be employed III
the civil or military service and that no new