Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 51, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 March 1900 — AGREE ON "OPEN DOOR." [ARTICLE]

AGREE ON "OPEN DOOR."

All the Great Powers Accept Secretary Hay’s Chinese Proposal. The correspondence between the Department of State and European governments in regard to the “open door" in China was sent to the House committee on foreign affairs Tuesday afternoon in response to a resolution introduced in the House by Representative Cummings of New York. All the great powers—Great Britain, Germany, France, Russia and Italy—have agreed to Secretary Hay’s proposal for the maintenance of the “open door” in China. Our conditions, which have brought affirmative replies from all of the powers, are as follows: 1. That each, within its “sphere of influence” or leased territory in China, should pledge itself not in any way to interfere with any treaty port or vested right within the “sphere” or territory under lease. 2. That in al) ports within the “spheres j of influence” except free ports, all merchandise landed or shipped, irrespective of nationality, shall pay the Chinese treaty tariff for the time being, and the duties shall be paid to the Chinese Government. 3. That in ports in the “spheres of influence” the Government controlling that sphere will levy no greater harbor dues ou vessels of any nationality than are levied on vessels of its own nationality, and that on railroads built, controlled or operated within these “spheres” the citizens of other nationalities shall pay no higher charges for transportation of merchandise than are paid by the citizens of the powers controlling such “spheres.”