Open Door Policy Quotes
“Service” referred to what was then the 7 year time of apprenticeship that a typical American apprentice was required to work for a master tradesman before he was given colonial citizenship and allowed to trade for himself. Under the bill that was passed anyone could come to the British American colonies (except Jews) by taking an oath of allegiance and paying a small fee. Holland and some thought that it discriminated against those apprentices who had come before and apprenticed themselves thus “playing by the rules.” Ever since, immigration and citizenship debates have faced the tension between the need for labor in America and the fairness to the people who had followed the earlier existing rules restricting immigration.
This is a classic example of an agreement of two colonial powers on the fate of a third, weaker nation—in this case Korea. Essentially, the English agree that Japan will control Korea so long as they maintain English commercial opportunities and rights there. Korea, of course, was not even consulted.
