Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-04-25
RUSSlA'S GREED
Cannot Give Her a Quit-claim
Deed to China.
Her Bold righteousness Will Make
But Little Roadway
When Faced With Our Wishes, Backed
by the World.

Hay Il synopsis OF the demands MADE
upon China by Russia respecting con-
troll of Manchuria. Secretary Hay will
take no action in the matter until he
mas communicated the facts to the
President and has learned the latter's
wishes.
The present impression here is that
the Russian action is a distinct breach
of faith with the United States. The
Russian government pledged itself
three times formally that the open
door" should be maintained in Man
churia and that the Russian troops
would be withdrawn as soon as peace
was restored. Finally the latter prom
Use took the shape of treaty stipu-
lation, providing that the evacuation
should take place within three distinct
periods.
The last Russian soldiers should have
quit Manchuria on the eighth of this
month. But a plausible explanation for
a temporary retention of the remain
ing Russian troops was offered by Rus
STA in the claim that thhSeeuntry was
sil disturbed.
Officials declare that there is no dam
yer of war with Russia over this in
cidcnt. AS a result of Ser. Hays pro-
ircted conference with the President,
it is probable that remonstrance will
be made. But it is anticipafed that
Russia will, for the time being, allay
foreign opposition. or at least, that Of
the United States by carrying out its
pledge as to the open door, There
will be no additional treaty ports In
Manchuria if Russia succeeds in this
last movement. New ChWans, how
ever, is still a treaty port.
An official of the government well
informed in regard to Chinese affairs
gays that the step taken by Russia is
one which she has been preparing for
n number of years. He says there APP
pears to be no way of preventing tie
consumation of Eussia's plans. Japan
is in no position to dispute the action
and even with the assistance of Eng
land it is doubtful. in his opinion
whether the purpose of Russia could
be changed.
1t is doubtful, he said. whether the
United States could look with favor
upon the far greater control OF Nhe
Pacific ocean which the new move
would give Russia. He had no doubt
that Russia would eventually apply
the Russian tariff to the new terri
tory in which case the United States
would endeavor to sell the Russians
raw materials for manufacturers IN
place of the finished products that no''
20 to that part of China. When l,us-
STA leased for % years the ports OF
Port Arthur and Ia Lien Wan asstir-
ances were given Ambassador Hitch
cock that the open door would be
maintained.
on Dec. 49, 1899, Count Mouravieif
IN n reply to n note from Secretary
Hay. said that the imperial government
had demonstrated it's firm intention to
follow the policy of 1.-THE open door.
In the same note the count said tha'
as tn the other territory, the fixing OF
duties belongs to China itself and tine
Imperial government has no intention
of claiming privileges for its own sub
iccts to the exclusion of other Tor
cigncrs."
Count Cassini. the Russian ambassa-
dor said concerning the announce
mont made in the dispatches from Pc
kin relative TO conditions which Rus
sia hns made to China: have not re-
ceived official news and in consequence
cannot discuss the points mentioned IN
the dispatches. | say. generally speak
ing. however, that il is only natural
that Russia. before evacuating Man
churia should take measures to pre-
vent a repetition of the troubles of 1906
as well rs to insure in that country hel
political influence which was never
contested owing to its geographical sit
ultion.
In answer to questions as to how the
proposed terms named in the dispatch
from Pekin would affect American
trade interests in Manchuria the am
hassador repeated that he could MOI
discuss the details of the terms men
toned in the dispatches since he had
not been officially advised of them ano
said:
the assurances which Russia ha:
given on different occasions relative to
the security of American trade inter
ests IN Nanchuria continue in full force
am: could not be otherwise construed.
The dispatches from Pekin announc-
Ing the terms which Russia has named
To China for the carrying out of the
Manchurian agreement We're read WITT
deep concern in diplomatic circles. to-
day. While the diplomats are not dis
posed for obvious reasons to publicly
comment on them, it is expected that
mt least the United States, Great Brit
ain and Japan will join in a firm not:
to the Chinese government insisting
that China do not agree to the condi-
tions which Russia seeks to impose. i
is rather expected in diplomatic quar-.
tiers that the United States will TAXI
the initiative possibly, because of the
prompt action taken by Secretary Ha.
on one other occasion when Russia
sought to secure an agreement Will
China which was held by this and othel
powers to be inimical to their interests
The interests of the United States
Great Britain and Japan in Manchuria
are such it is said to bring those coun.
tries closely together in this matter
Another reason which leads at leas
some of the diplomats to think that tn,
United States will move first in the mat
ter OF representations to China to with
hold acquiesceRce to the Russian term.
Is that Russia has made as one OF tn,
conditions precedent to the evacuat ton o.
New Chwanc and the two southern pro
vfnces of Manchuria the condition thai
there shall be nc new treaty ports in Man