Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-28
''OPEN DOOR" IGNORED
Alleged Discrimination in
Manchurian Trade.
JAPANESE ARE FAVORED
Startling Revelation in Mukden
Consul's Report.
GOODS ESCAPE DUTY AT DALNY
Millions Lost to the Chinese by Clev-
er Smuggling-Americans and
Europeans at Disadvantage.

/ That Japanese merchants engaged in
1 the Manchurian trade have many adj
! yantageS over American and ElIropean
/ competitors is demonstrated in a report
prepared by Vice Consul f. D. Cloud at
Mukden. The report is dated at Mukden,
! September 4, but so far has NOT been
published in the regular way by the
| State Department, presumably from
rea ons of policy.
The officials of the State Department
decline to discuss the report further than
to reiterate their statement of November
10 last, expressing satisfaction with as
surances received from both Japan and
China that the recent agreement con-
Guided between them would not inter-
fere with the principles of the "open
door and equal opportunities in
Manchuria. To that extent the depart
ment has evidently minimized the repre-
sentation contained in Consul Clouds re-
port that the Japanese government was
actually discriminating against American
competition in the Manchurian trade.
Consul Clouds Report.
importation of Foreign Goods Into
Manchuria" is the title of Mr.. Clouds re-
port, and it is an elaborate review of
the subject.
Ever since the reopening of Manchuria
to foreign trade, at the close of the Russo
Japanese war. importers have complained
of unfair advantages afforded Japanese
competitors through discriminating
freight rates on the South Manchurian
railway. 1t charged that Japanese
merchants were allowed to bring their
goods into Manchuria without paying the
prescribed import and other, duties.
According {'1OIl6 Chinese
government and the importers contend
that large quantities of foreign goods We're
brought into Manchuria via the leased
territory without payment of duty. and
to remedy that condition China adopted
the present plan to collect likin and
other dues on all such goods. The con-
sui expresses the belief that large guam
titles of foreign goods were imported into
Manchuria via Dalny, duty free, and
gives mass of commercial statistics to
sustain his view.
Two Conditions Suggested.
Using these figures as a basis, Consul
Cloud says it is evident that % the Jap
anese and the Chinese inhabitants of
Dalny and the leased territory are either
more prosperous and able to purchase
many times as much foreign-made goods
as are their neighboring kinsmen or 90
there is large portion of the foreign
goods now entering Manchuria through
Dalny. and by reason of the special rail-
way facilities offered which does not pay
any duty and which enters into direct
competition with goods which must pay
the full import and other duties when
shipped in by outs ders.
1.-The leased territory" says the consul,
lis not Il fertile or a productive region,
and the Inhabitants thereof are known to
be anything but prosperous. In compare
son with the average individual in either
Japan or China proper, the average in
habitant of the leased territory is Z
poor man.
THE inevitable conclusion of the matter