The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-05-08
NO WISH TO c1gE DOOR Russise Interest in Far
 East. LAMSDoRFF TO TOWER
Thinks the United States is
 Unduly Alarmed.
Has Friendship for America, But China Are Hot Matters for
 Washington's Supervision.

series of diplomatic exchanges in the cur rent volume of Foreign Relations now in press is given the text of a communica- ton addressed by Ambassador Tower to the Russian Foreign Office relative to the announcement that China was about to sign an agreement with the Russo-Chdnese Bank whereby valuable exclusive privi- leges were to be secured by that in- stitution.
 The note brought forth the important declaration from Count Lamsdorff, Min ister for Foreign Affairs, that Russia pro- posed to restore Manchuria to China and would recall her troops from that province terfere with the "open door" arrange ment MT. Towers note to the Russian Minister for Foreign Affairs follows:
 "In obedience to instructions which have received from the government of the United States, have the honor to inform your excellency that the Ameri- can Minister to China has reported in a telegram recently received at Washington that Prince Ching has agreed to sign the Manchurian convention and also a sepa- rate convention with the Russo-Chinese Bank under which exclusive privileges of industrial development in Manchuria are to be granted to that bank
 Viewed with Concern.
 q am instructed to say that the gov ernment of the United States could look only with concern upon any arrangement by which China should extend to cor porate company the exclusive right, with in its territory, to open mines. construct railways and to exert other industrial privileges. ..
 the United States that by permitting or creating monopoly of this character China would contravene the treaties which it has already entered into with foreign powers and would inJure the rights of American scitizens by restrict ing legitimate trade; also that such &C., tion would lead to the impairment of Chinese sovereignty and tend to diminish the ability of China to meet its obhga- tions. Other powers as well might seek similar advantages in different parts of the Chinese empire and would destroy the policy of equal treatment of all nations in regard to the navigation and commerce throughout China.
 "I am further instructed to convey to your excellency the sentiment of the United States Government that the acquiring by any one power of exclusive privileges in China for its subjects or its own commerce would be contradictory to the assurances repeatedly given by the Imperial Russian Minister for Foreign Affairs to the United States of the in. tention of the Russian Government tc maintain the policy of the open door In China as that policy has been advocated by the United States and accepted by all the powers who have commercial interests within the Chinese empire.
 T am to assure you that the Govern. ment of the United States is now as 4 has always been heretofore, animated by the desire to secure for all nations en tirely equal intercourse with China, anC am instructed to present to your ex celelncy the request that the Imperia Russian Government will give due atten tion to the foregoing considerations whici have also been addressed to the Chimes, Government and to express to your ex cellency the hope that such measures O. procedure may be adopted as will ala, the apprehension of the Government o the United States"
 Following is the reply of Count Lams dorff:
 Reply of Landsdorff.
 "The Imperial Government, always de sirous of cultivating and developing tn, best relations with the United States, fl fully disposed to remove the anxietJ which the proposed arrangements be tween Russia and China appear to hay, caused the Cabinet at Washington, bu 1t feels itself bound at the same time t, declare that negotiations carried on be tween two entirely independent States arr not subjects to be submitted to the ap proval of other powers.
 There is no thought of attacking tn principle of the open door as that prIn ciple is understood by the Imperial Gov ernment of Russia. and Russia has m | intention whatsoever to change the polio, | followed by her in that respect up to tn present time.
 "If the Russo-Chinese Bank should ob | tain concessions in China, the agreement of private character relating to then would not differ from those heretofor concluded by so many other foreign cor porations But would it not be yer strange if the door that is open to cer tain nations should be closed to Russia whose frontier adjoins that of Manchuri , and who has been forced by recent event to send her troops into that province t re-establish order in the plain and com mon interest of all nations? It Is tru that Russia has conquered Manchuria but she still maintains her firm deter imitation to restore it to China and reca her troops as soon as the conditions c evacuation shall have been agreed upo and the necessary steps taken to preven fresh outbreak of trouble in the neigh boring territory"