Evening journal., 1903-07-17
CHINA AGREES
TO OPEN PORTS
Manchuria Question Is Set
tied Satisfactorily TO the
United States
RUSSIA REDEEMS HER PLEDGE

otate Department. Is t1igniy oT--..-~
at Outcome. Feeling It Has Secured
For American Commerce a Very
Substantial Gain.
Washington. July l7.-The Manchu-
rlan question has been settled satisfac-
torily to this government Assurances
have been received from the Chinese
government that e will in the near
future open as treaty ports several
ports now closed TO the worlds trade.
The Russian government has conveyed
formal assurances to the United States
government that it will not in any way
oppose such opening. While the ports
to be opened are not yet specified, it is
gathered from the communications re-
ceived that they are Moukden, the
principal inland port of Manchuria, and
Ia Tung Kao. at the mouth Of the
Yalu river. The state department is
highly gratiied at this outcome, feel
ing that il has secured not only for
American commerce but for the COM
merce OF the world at large a very sub
stantial gain.
IL now develops that the meeting Of
Russian officials at Port Arthur just
concluded was but one Of the steps,
though an important one. which the
ST. Petersburg government had planned
in execution of its purpose to place
matters OF internal administration in
Manchuria in such condition that tho
ports desired by the United States and
Japan could be opened to trade with
out causing disturbance or involving
undue sacrifice Of proper Russian in
terests. Il already had been repre-
sented that much of the friction that
had grown out of the Manchurian
| question was caused by n sort of triple
/ yet Independent administration OF
affairs in Manchuria by representatives
of different branches of the Russian
/ government The result was that one
official would not feel bound by the
pledges made by another, so Glat for
eign nations complained Of bad faith.
IL is understood that now, following
the Port Arthur conference, a compact
been arranged for and orders issued
from ST. Petersburg are certain to
meet with speedy and exact compli-
ance.
Although no set time is mentioned in
the promise to open the ports. it is
believed that this Will follow soon
after the Russian evacuation in Sep
tember.
simultaneously with the promise
to open up Manchuria to the worlds
trade comes a report to the bureau Of
commerce and labor from United States
b, Consul Miller at Niuchwang, which
thus far is the only open port in Man
b churia, respecting the cotton goods
trade of that province. lie says that
S the great market for cotton goods in
Manchuria is attracting the earnest at
0 tention Of Russian manufacturers at
Moscow. They are seeking to capture
. a good share of the s12, 10000 worth OF
cotton goods trade that annually comes
through this port and are Offering
4 most tempting inducements to mer
4 chants 10 go to Moscow to purchase
= their supplies. The consul refers to a
j. dispatch to the minister at Peking, in
- which the latter mentioned that Rus
= sian agent had taken a number of mer'
q chants To Moscow TO make a contract
= for the importation of drills imitat
ing American products. The consu
, reports the return of these merchant
y 20 Niuchwang because the drills wer'
/ not quite up to the American stand
--a ., ~,r~iitu