The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-11-14

Editorial Opinions Of the Leading Journals
upon Current Topios-CempiIed Every
Day for the Evening Telegraph.

Russia. so long the bugbear of timid diplo-
matists in Western Europe, claims at this
hour of the nineteenth century to be an en-
Iightened as we'll as q mighty power. The
traditions of Nesselrode have been abandoned
in all but the broad abstract views which that
statesman cherished for the safety and honor
of the vast realm to which his genius gave so
exalted an influence at the moment when Ma
poleon /, having trampled all the rest OF Eu-
rome under foot, recoiled from the banks of
the Moskwa in utter dismay before the resist
ance and self sacrifice of q people whose mar
tial courage was but the outward symbol of
their devotion to their prince and their coun
try. Another epoch of Russian history came
in with the Gar Nicholas and has continued
in progressive expansion with the accession
of Alexander to the imperial throne.
The ideas which made Peter the Great the
leading monarch of his time, in his honest
respect for the toiling people and his wise
efforts to bestow upon his native land the
practical improvements and advantages
already acquired by Western nations, have
found an advanced interpreter in Alexander,
who is recognized by his contemporaries as a
man of most amiable disposition in private
life, deep thinker, an accomplished scholar,
a wise counsellor, and in all respects truly
able intellect. For these reasons, also, and
as an inevitable deduction from the rest, the
regning Emperor of all the Russias abhors
the sanguinary horrers of war, and loves the
very name of peace. This noble tendency of
his mind has been repeatedly proved on occa-
sions when the brusque word of q mere mill
tary martinez in his exalted place would have
cost the lives of thousands of poor wretches
on his Asiatic frontiers or In some of the
agitated towns of his German principalities.
Last spring his long conferences with the
King of Prussia at Ems, as our correspondent
reminds us, led him to hope that there was
no danger of any rupture of the European
peace and when the Hohenzollern-Spanis
difficulty subsequently arose it was largely to
his influence that the withdrawal of the Ger
man Prince might have been ascribsd. Alex
ander hoped that such withdrawal would end
the trouble. When, however, the war at
last burst forth and began to assume Euro
pean proportions, it was the Russian Empe-
rors judicious management which prevented
Austria on the one hand aud the Scandina-
vian countries on the other from taking part
in the quarrel. This line of po-
licy, which Alexander deemed the
best for his people, was main
tanned in the very teeth of public sentiment
at home, which altogether favored France.
Moreover, discovering the existence of q
secret treaty between France and Austria, by
the terms of which the latter power was to
send an invading force of two hundred thou
sand men into Prussian Silesia on the signal
of a victory gained by France on the right
bank of the Rhine, Russia, without wading
through the tedium of diplomatic forms,
promptly signifed her determination to op-
pose any such extension of the area of the
war. Her rsmonstrance was emphatic
and it was needed. Austria withdrew
from her equivocal attitude, and any de-
monstration that she may now attempt,
can only be for the benefit of peace,
unless the Prussian Government has come to
e ~
opinion of all Europe. In few words, then,
the bearing of the Czar and his counsellors
has been equally wise, dignihed, and bsnig-
nant-worth of great sovereign and a
mighty people in a juncture of vast respon-
sibility. Again, after the terrible collapse of
the French Empire at Sedan, Alexander once
more, even while cOmplimenting King Will
liam Of Prussia on his wonderful success, in
terceded for the sake of moderation and gene
rous dealing, and his efforts now are directed
to d settlement of the sad conflict and the
restoration of a cordial peace.
Far from being hostile to the republican
government of France rs recognized by the
will of the people, the Czar has directly
pleaded in its favor, aud by the force of his
example induced both England and Austria
to join him in recommending an armistice
and a final peace to Prussia. That Russian
diplomacy does not look with fear and dislike
abstract, in countries where it meets the re-
quirements of the people and the time, may
be honestly inferred from its protection of
Swiss independence in 1916 and its earnest
friendship for the American Union in our
recent struggle for existence.
The policy of Russia to-day is peace. She
is struggling to extend her railroad system, in
which she has 1000, 900, 600 roubles invested,
throughout the empire; to develop her vast
internal resources; to ameliorate the condi-
tion of her 100000 subjects; to civilize
and Christianize the motley tribes acknow.
lodging her sceptre, and to prepare her way
through kindly channels for the grand con
troll that awaits her In the East.
While we cannot admit that the thinkers
and travellers of America-many of whom
are publicists, and some of whom have both
traversed and studied the Russian empire
and system thoroughly-are always at fault
we can readily accord to the reigning Cza
and his Cabinet the credit of heartily cherish
ing peace, of detesting war, of seeking t.
localize and restrict the quarrels that politi
cal ambition awakens among their neighbors
of favoring rational liberty and progress a
all times, and of desiring TO go hand in ham
with their friend-our own great republic
in all things that are for the benefit of thei
mighty State at home and for the good o
mankind.
That the friendship of Russia and the Rus
SLAMS for our own country is real we have hat
constant and convincing proof. The GA
Nicholas, during his entire reign, showet
every possible favor to Americans visitin
his realm or sojourning there for either plea
sure or business. He employed America
engineers upon the most fattering term
in the construction of his railways, harbors
and fleets, and invariably received ou