Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-12-17
HOW TIE RUSSIAN PRESS REGARDS Us

A st. Petersburg journal, the Noooes
Vremya, has published very ill-tempered
and abusive article on President Arthurs
message. The ground of offense to Rus
slams in that paper is the statement that
the United States Government intended to
protest strongly against the action of the
Russian Government in refusing to concede
anything to the American citizenship of
Jews travelling in that country. The
Russian newspapers are so much under
Government supervision that an article of
this kind could not have appeared had it
not been pleasing to the authorities, and
therefore it has more significance than if it
had been the expression of journal in a
country where the press is free. The
VreayG says that Russia will pay no at
teDtion to any American remonstrance, but
will treat the Jews as it pleases. 1t stig.
matizes them all as +" swindlers," and sug-
gests that President Arthur sympathizes
with them because the United States con-
tains so many people of the same low
standard OF morals. 1t then taunts this
country with its recent resurrection of the
Monroe doctrine, and asks how we can
make it consist with our own national policy
to interfere with the domestic government
of European States. And it concludes with
the remark that Americans could not
seriously protest against the expulsion
american Government itself interferes
"and restricts Cinnamon from settling in
the United States" 1t is frequently
very disagreeable to see oursels as
"ithers see us" and Burns was certainly
rash in desiring that some god would be-
stow upon us gift SO fruitful of annoy
ance. But nevertheless an unfriendly
review of our course is sometimes the most
sanitary of tonies, for it forces US to con-
template all our inconsistencies and evasions
aud meannesses, in their least fattering
guise, and compels US to realize, perhaps
for the first time, how what we have been
doing strikes other people. Now though
the Russian journal is very bitter and
abusive, it must be admitted that it has
hit upon some very awkward points in
American history. It is of course not ad-
missible that anything can deprive Gov
eminent of the right to demand fair treat
ment for its citizens or subjects abroad,
and international comfy is entirely against
the Russian view of that question. But it
is evident that the Monroe doctrine will be
used against US whenever we venture to
touch European questions, and it is equally
evident that the Chinese problem may be
employed by Europeans in a similar
way. But the most serious consid-
Grafton arising from this criticism is
the obvious one that all the world
now knows our weakness, and so feels en-.
couraged to gibe and jeer at us. A country
without an army or navy may be very
rich and very prosperous, but it cannot
command the respect of countries which
are prepared to maintain their opinions
with the sword, nor can it hope to succeed
in protecting its citizens abroad perma.
nently. Russia is but a half.civilized
power, but when its press is inspired by
its Government to insult the United States,
and to sneer at President Arthur as "this
chance President, whom Guiteau calls
g his friend, and his choice for the Presi-
dental chair, it is evident that there is
no wholesome feeling of apprehension ex-
perieneed at St. Petersburg, and that the
Presidents announced determination to
protect American citizens in Russia is
looked upon as an offensive impertinence,
which calls for the sharpest and most un.
measured rebuke. And it is very certain
that no Russian journal would be per.
mitted to speak with similar license of
the ruler of any of the countries of
Europe.