File No. 5315/351a.
The President of the United States to Prince Chun, Regent of the Chinese Empire.
Washington, July 15, 1909.
I am disturbed at the reports that there is certain prejudiced opposition to your Government’s arranging for equal participation by American capital in the present railway loan. To your wise judgment it will of course be clear that the wishes of the United States are based, not only upon China’s promises of 1903 and 1904, confirmed last month, but also upon broad national and impersonal principles of equity and good policy in which a regard for the best interests of your country has a prominent part. I send this message not doubting that your reflection upon the broad phases of this subject will at once have results satisfactory to both countries. I have caused the legation to give your minister for foreign affairs the fullest information on this subject. I have resorted to this somewhat unusually direct communication with Your Imperial Highness, because of the high importance that I attach to the sucessful result of our present negotiations. I have an intense personal interest in making the use of American capital in the development of China an instrument for the promotion of the welfare of China, and an increase in her material prosperity without entanglements or creating embarrassments affecting the growth of her independent political power and the preservation of her territorial integrity.