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canal〃 to cost； running through the whole length of the State；
encountering enormous difficulties of every sort； estimated at
the beginning to cost one hundred millions of dollars； but
including no estimate for 〃land damages；〃 〃water damages；〃
〃personal damages；〃 〃unprecedented floods；〃 〃unforeseen
obstacles；〃 〃quicksands；〃 〃changes of plan；〃 etc。； etc。； which
have played such a costly and corrupting part in the past history
of our existing New York canals？ And how many years will it take
to complete it？ This was the train of thought and this was its
resultant query forced upon me whenever I looked upon the
Parliament House at Berlin。
CHAPTER XLI
AMERICA； GERMANY； AND THE SPANISH WAR1897…1903
During the early days of this second official stay of mine at
Berlin； Russia had； in one way and another； secured an entrance
into China for her trans…Siberian railway； and seemed to have
taken permanent possession of the vast region extending from her
own territory to the Pacific at Port Arthur。 Germany followed
this example； and； in avenging the murder of certain
missionaries； took possession of the harbor of Kiao…Chau。 Thereby
other nations were stirred to do likewise；England； France； and
Italy beginning to move for extensions of territory or commercial
advantages； until it looked much as if China was to be parceled
out among the greater European powers； or at least held in
commercial subjection； to the exclusion of those nations which
had pursued a more dilatory policy。
Seeing this danger； our government instructed its representatives
at the courts of the great powers to request them to join in a
declaration in favor of an 〃open…door policy〃 in China； thus
establishing virtually an international agreement that none of
the powers obtaining concessions or controlling 〃spheres of
influence〃 in that country should secure privileges infringing
upon the equality of all nations in competing for Chinese trade。
This policy was pushed with vigor by the Washington cabinet； and
I was instructed to secure； if possible； the assent of the German
Government； which； after various conferences at the Foreign
Office and communications with the minister of foreign affairs；
some more； some less； satisfactory； I was at last able to do。 The
assent was given very guardedly； but not the less effectively。
Its terms were that Germany； having been from the first in favor
of equal rights to all nations in the trade of China； would
gladly acquiesce in the proposed declaration if the other powers
concerned would do so。
The Emperor William himself was even more open and direct than
his minister。 At his dinner to the ambassadors in the spring of
1900； he spoke to me very fully on the subject； and； in a
conversation which I have referred to elsewhere； assured me of
his complete and hearty concurrence in the American policy；
declaring； 〃We must stand together for the open door。〃
Finally； on the 9th of April； 1900； I had the satisfaction of
sending to the German Foreign Office the proofs that all the
other powers concerned； including Japan； had joined in the
American declaration； and that the government of the United
States considered this acquiescence to be full and final。
It was really a great service rendered to the world by Mr。
McKinley and Secretary Hay； their action was farseeing； prompt；
bold； and successful。
Yet another subject of contention was the exclusion of sundry
American insurance companies from Germany； due in part to a
policy of 〃protection；〃 but also to that same distrust of certain
American business methods which had given me much trouble in
dealing with the same question at St。 Petersburg。 The discussions
were long and tedious； but resulted in a sort of modus vivendi
likely to lead to something better。
The American sugar duties were also a sore subject。 Various
writers in the German press and orators in public bodies
continued to insist that America had violated the treaties；
America insisted that she had not； and this trouble； becoming
chronic； aggravated all others。 The main efforts of Count von
Bulow and myself were given to allaying inflammation by doses of
common sense and poultices of good…will until common sense could
assert its rights。
The everlasting meat question also went through various vexatious
phases； giving rise to bitter articles in the newspapers；
inflammatory speeches in Parliament； and measures in various
parts of the empire which； while sometimes honest； were always
injurious。 American products which had been inspected in the
United States and Hamburg were again broken into； inspected； and
reinspected in various towns to which they were taken for retail；
with the result that the packages were damaged or spoiled； and
the costs of inspection and reinspection ate up all profits。 I
once used an illustration of this at the Foreign Office that
seemed to produce some effect。 It was the story of the Yankee
showman who； having been very successful in our Northern and
Middle States； took his show to the South； but when he returned
had evidently been stripped of his money。 Being asked regarding
it； he said that his show had paid him well at first； but that on
arriving in Texas the authorities of each little village insisted
on holding an inquest over his Egyptian mummy； charging him
coroner's fees for it； and that this had made him a bankrupt。
Speeches； bitter and long； were made on both sides of the
Atlantic； the cable brought reports of drastic reprisals
preparing in Washington； but finally a system was adopted to
which the trade between the two countries has since been uneasily
trying to adjust itself。
Then there was sprung upon us the fruit question。 One morning
came a storm of telegrams and letters stating that cargoes of
American fruits had been stopped in the German harbors； under the
charge that they contained injurious insects。 The German
authorities were of course honest in this procedure； though they
were doubtless stimulated to it by sundry representatives of the
land…owning class。 Our beautiful fruits； especially those of
California； had come to be very extensively used throughout the
empire； and the German consumers had been growing more and more
happy and the German producers more and more unhappy over this
fact； when suddenly there came from the American side accounts of
the scale…insects discovered on pears in California； and of
severe measures taken by sundry other States of our Union to
prohibit their importation。 The result was a prohibition of our
fruits in Germany； and this was carried so far that not only
pears from California； but all other fruits； from all other parts
of the country； were at first put under the ban； and not only
fresh but dried and preserved fruits。 As a matter of fact； there
was no danger whatever from the scale…insect； so far as fruit was
concerned。 The creature never stirs from the spot on the pear to
which it fastens itself； and therefore by no possibility can it
be carried from the house where the fruit is consumed to the
nurseries where trees are grown。 We took pains to show the facts
in the case； dealing fairly and openly with the German
Government； allowing that the importation of scale…infested trees
and shrubs might be dangerous； and making no objection to any
fair measures regarding these。 The Foreign Office was reasonable；
and gradually the mo