Omaha daily bee., 1903-04-25
RUSSIA BREAKS PLEDGES
Three Distinct Promisss Are Given 10
Maintain Open Manohurian Door.
no DANGER OF WAR is APPREHENDED
United states, Britain and Japan Will
Probably Jointly Instruct China
TO Reject MuscOvite De-
mands without Delay.

manda Without Delay.
WASHINGTON, April Administer Con-
ger, from Pekin, has cabled to Secretary
Hay a synopsis Of the demands made upon
China by Russia respecting control Of Man
chur!a. This account agrees precisely with
the full and accurate press reports OF Rus
sia's last coup from the Chinese capital.
Secretary Hay will take no action In the
matter until he has communicated the facts
to the president and has learned the lat
ter's wishes.
The present impression here is that the
Russian action is a distinct breach OF faith
with the United States. The Russian gov
eminent pledged itself three times formally
and the documents are Of record, that the
open door should be maintained In Man
churia and Russian troops would be with
drawn as soon as peace was restored.
Finally, the latter promise took shape Of
q treaty stipulation. It was provided that
the evacuation should take place within
three distinct periods. The last Russian
soldier should have quit Manchuria April
8 according to that treaty. But a plausible
explanation for q temporary retention Of
the remaining Russian treops was offered
by Russia in the claim that the country was
still disturbed and that vigorous military
methods we're necessary for the beneht OF
sanitation.
War Deemed UnIikeIy.
Authorities say there is no danger Of in
ternational trouble. The government OF the
United States has recorded its ideas Of what
should be done in Manchuria and az the
result of Secretary Hays projected con-
ference with the president, 1t Is probable
a further remonstrance will be added. But
II is anticipated that Russia will, for the
time being, at least, allay foreign opposI-
tion or at least that Of the United States,
by carrying out it's pledge as to the "open
door, policy.
There will be no treaty ports In Man
churia II Russia succeeds in this last move.
New Chwang, however, Is still a treaty
port and II Russia makes q further move
by applying its customs system to that
port United States products may enter
there at the same uniform rate of FIVE per
cent duty as are collected in the southern
Chinese ports.
An official of the government well In
formed regarding Chinese AFFAIRS says that
the step taken by Russia is one for which
It has been preparing for a number OF
/ years. Extraordinary as It may seem, he
says that there appears to. be no way Of
preventing the contamination Of Russia's
plan.
Japan is in no position to dispute the ac-
ton and, with the assistance Of England,
It Is doubtful, in his opinion. whether the
purpose Of Russia could be changed.
As to the interest of this government, he
said, It was doubtful whether the United
States could look with favor upon the con-
troll Of the Pacific ocean which the new
-. -..n1a ~tuo D,teala ne had M A0uht
that Russia would. eventually apply the
Russian tariff to the new territory in which
| case the United States would endeavor to
sell the Russians raw materials for manu-
featuring in place of the finished products
which now go to that part Of China.
Development I'm 1Hanchuria.
He said that there had been great de-
velopment In Manchuria under the Russian
auspices during the past few years and
especially in the last eight months. I'm
mense sums of money, he said, have been
spent In building railroads, bridges and
other works to improve transportation and
so build industries. This was especially
the case at Dalny, the port about forty
miles from Port Arthur, which has NOT
only been greatly improved, but we'll forti-
fed. This port is In the leased territory
| Wnlon WAS Qlbcu680Q N COIICSpOuuCug0 10
tween the United States and Russian gov
ernments In 1899. When Russia leased foI
twenty-five years certain Chinese ports
assurances were given Ambassador Hitch
cock tina the open door would be main
tanned. To make this more en-
phatic. Secretary Hay, September 8,
addressed a letter to Ambassador Tower
calling attention to the categorical assur-
ances given his predecessor by Russis
when it leased the ports Of Port Arthur,
Tia Lien Wan and the adjacent territory In
the Lioa Tung peninsula.
On December IS, 1899, Count Muravien
replied to Mr.. Hays note, saying that the
imperial government had demonstrated its
firm intention to follow the policy of the
open door" In the same note the count
said that as to other territory, the hxinl
Of duties belong to China itself and 9Th
imperial government has no intention Of
claiming privileges for its own subjects tc
the exclusion Of other Foreigners"
Russian Ambassador Explains.
Count Cassini, the Russian ambassadoI
said concerning the announcement made II
the dispatches from Picking relative to con
ditions which Russia has named to China
1 have not yet received ofhcial news and
in consequence, cannot discuss the point
mentioned in the dispatches, l can say
generally speaking, hat II is only natura
that Russia, before evacuating ManchurIa
should take measures 10 prevent a repeti
ton OF the troubles of 1900, as well IS I
insure in that country her political infu
ence, which was never contested owing I
its geographical position.
In answer to questions as to how tn
proposed terms named in the dispatch froI
Picking would affect American trade inter
ests in Manchuria, the ambassador, re
peating that he could not discuss the dc
tails Of the terms mentioned in the dis
patch since he had not been officially ad
vised Of them, said:
The assurances which Russia has give
on different occasions relative to the q
curity OF American trade interests in Mar
churia continue In full force and could nC
be otherwise construed.
The dispatches from Peking announcin
the terms which Russia has named I
China for the carrying out Of the Mar
churian agreement were read with dee
concern in diplomatic circles today. Viii
the diplomats are not disposed for obviol
reasons to publicly comment Of them.
is expected that at least the United State