The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-07-17
CHINA WILL
0P EN- DOOR
Manchurian Question Has
Been Settled Satisfactorily.
NO DEFINITE TIME SET
It's Believed, However, that the Man
churian Ports Will Be Opened to
Trade Of the World Shortly
After September.
rBy Associated Press,)

WASHINGTON. ID. c.. July 16.-The
Manchurian question has been settled sat
isfactorily to this government Assur-
ances have been received from the CHI
nees Government that 1t will. in the near
future, open as treaty ports several ports
now closed to the worlds trade the Rus
sian Government has conveyed formal as.
stlrance to the United States that 1t VIII
not in any way oppose such opening.
While tho ports to be opened are not yet
specified. 1t is gathered from the commu-
nications received that they are Moukden,
the principal inland port OF Manchutia.
and Ia T,lnE kao at the mouth OF me
Yalu River.
1T is now known that the negotiations
which have terminated so successfully
to-day SO far as broad lines arc con-
cerned-for only details remain to be ad-
justed-wcre practically brought TO tnelr
present phase by Secretary Hay and Count
Cassni at meeting at tne L.usslai en-,
bassy on June 18th. the day the Secretary
6epartcd for Newport, for the ambasSa-
dor then had in hand the necessary au-
thoriZation from his government to make
tho pledges which are now In process OF
redemption. These pledges We're reduced
to writing by MI. Hansen, the RUSSIAN
charge. during his call at the State Oe-
p''' - UNsELFIsH POLICY,
It remains for Mr.. Conger to decline in
the trade treaty which he is negotiating
with China the terms and conditions UNI
der which the new ports are to be opened.
1t may be stated that had the United
states Government cared to pursue sell
fish policy In this matter it might easily
have secured promises Of special prlYl-
lcges from Russia
It now develops that the meeting Of
Russian officials at Port Arthur. Just
concluded, was but one of the steps,
INN a nj which tho st,
Petersburg government had planned IN
execution OF its purpose to place matters
of internal administration In Manchuria
In such condition that the ports desired
by the United States and Japan could
be opened to trade without causing dis
turbance or involving undue sacrifice of
proper Russian interests.
Although no set time Is mentioned III
the promise to open the ports, 1t IS be-
lleved that this will follow soon after
the Russian evacuation In September.
The prospect gives the keenest satisfac-
ton here. for Secretary Hay has been
for moro than two years in steady, pur-
suit of the open door In Manchuria.
which he has already pointed out, is SO
important to tho vast cotton interests or
Wv ''0''' COTTON TRADE,
simultaneously with the promise to
open up Manchuria to the worlds trade
comes a report to the Bureau OF Com
nerce and Labor from United States
Consul Miller, at Niuchwang, which is
80 far the only open port In Manchurla,
respecting the cotton goods trade of that
province. He SAYS that the great market
for cotton goods In Manchuria Is at
tracing the earnest attention or RUS
sian manufacturers at MOSCOW, they
are seeking to capture n good share Of
tho $1,000 900 taels tsl2,1SoOoo) worth
of cotton goods trade that annually
comes through this port. and are offer
Ing most tempting inducements to mer-
chants here to go to Moscow to purchase
their supplies
The completion OF the Siberian rail-
way, SAYS tho consul, has brought In
new factor In the great cotton goods
trade OF North China, and American
manufacturers must be alive to the stu-
alton and adjust their business arrange
ments to meet the new conditions II they
wish to hold their trade.
The volunteer feet, heavily subsidized
by the Russian government, is bringing
Russian goods to North China at very
low freight rates and these goods are
entered at Port Arthur and Dalny with
out paying any customs duties; besides.
the port charges for ships are nominal,
and there are no pilot charges. Ameri-
can goods go first to Shanghai, where
customs duties and port charges, storage
and handling are paid, and are then re-
shipped to Niuchwang, where freight
Ipilotage port and handling charges are
again paid This fleet consists of four
teen steamers, With total tonnage OF
3S4Sl tons.