The true northerner., 1896-01-17

OPINIONS OF SOME OF THE WASH
lNoToN plPLoMATlsTS.
Suggestion Of m Alliance Between the
United States, Great Britain and Russia.
Advantages That Would Follow This
Singular Combination Of Power.


United States, Great Britain and Russia.
Advantages That Would Follow This
Singular Combination Of Power.
WASHINGTON. Jan. 15. = Special. -
What would you say to q new triple alli-
ance. an alliance between the United
States, Great Britain and Russian
A Fascinating Study.
At first glance such an alliance might
seem chimerioal, too absurd TO be worthy
of serious thought, and yet not more
strange or more startling than some of the
moves which have been made upon the
chessboard of international diplomacy dur
ing the past few weeks International d.
plomacy, statecraft In its largest and most
comprehensive term, Is the most fascinat-
ing study one can conceive OF. We know
something about politics on small scale
in this country. We get pretty we'll
wrought up once In every four years. We
think our politicians and our party man
ayers are as shrewd, as adroit, and at
times, i regret to say, as unscrupulous as
men we'll can be. But all that is childs
play TO what goes on day after day In the
capitals of Europe. There mon play for
stakes compared to which our campai. ms
are as innocent as a church fair TO Monte
Carlo. Here a change of administration
means much, but, after all, 1t does not de-
stroy maps or alter the history of the
world for generations to come There poll
tics means the rise and fall of empires,
the marking of the boundary lines OF
states in trails of blood.
There are In this city at the present time
a few members of the diplomatic corps
who are as conversant with the inner af
fairs of the capitals of Europe as they are
with the affairs of their own we'll regulat-
ed households. They know what goes on
in London, Paris, Berlin, Vienna, st.
Petersburg or Constantinople When an
emperor makes a speech at dinner OF
hussar regiment, or a prime minister re-
plies to a delegation or potentate snubs
one ambassador and is all smiles to an
other the people wonder and the press
Of three or four continents speculates.
These men in Washington smile or look
glum as things are going their way or
against them. They understand who Is
pulling the strings and why the strings
are being pulled.
Merely Hinted.
In this inner diplomatic circle curious
topic Is constantly being whispered be-
cause it is hinted at rather than being
talked about at this time 1t Is no less
than an alliance between the United
States, Great Britain and Russia. A year
ago such an alliance would have been
secuted as an utter impossibility; 1t would
have been regarded as improbable as Ger
many and France acting in concert. Yet
only few short months ago all the world
stood amazed to see the two nations who
SO bitterly hate one another acting jointly
in restraining Japan from inilicting too
severe blow upon her vanquished enemy,
and with them was Russia, while Eng
land, once all powerful in the far east,
was pushed contemptuously to one side
Still later France, Germany and Russia
financed" China, and England was not
even asked To take part in the arrange
ment. Not long ago Russia, always our
friend offered this country all the gold we
might need in exchange for our bonds
England and Russia have been enemies
from time immemorial England has SO
bottled up Russia that for five months
in the year her ships of-war lie in an ice
frozen harbor, as useless for purposes of
war as Il they were stripped of their guns
and engines. For years she has been try
ing to obtain control of a port on the Med
iterranean where her ships could come and
go as they pleased and be independent of
the seasons, but every attempt has been
met by the threatening frown of England.
Division of SpoiIs.
There has recently been a great change
in England. Some of her wisest statesmen
believe that Russia should be her ally and
not her traditional enemy. 1t Is curious TO
note that the average Englishman regards
the Frenchman with supreme contempt,
and the German he looks upon as a slow
going fellow who doesn't amount to much,
but he has rather an admiration for the
Russian, possibly because he knows moth
ing about him. The English statesmen Of
the new school realize the folly of attempt
ing to keep Russia bottled up" They
advocate letting her have Constantinople
if she wants IL, of giving her the same
rights and privileges accorded to any other
great nation. In return England would
get Egypt, France could do nothing, and
Germany would be powerless. But still
greater advantages would follow. China
Is like ripe plum waiting to be plucked.
Who shall do the pluckingS Russia han
kers after the fruit, she Is willing to divide
it with England, but, above all, she wants
the United States to come in and share
the spoils.
Naturally the United States ought to
enjoy the most intimate commercial and
financial relations with the great empire
of the east. New York ought to be the
center of the China trade instead of Lon
don. Russian diplomats have long sought
to impress this upon our state department,
but we have disregarded the advice as be-
ing opposed to our traditional policy.
Since the war, when our ministers to
China and Japan did more TO bring about
peace than all the other diplomats put to-
gether, which tremendously raised our
prestige, some of our shrewdest men of
affairs have had their eyes opened to the
great possibilities TO follow from a com
mercial invasion of China. But that in
vasion cannot be solely commercial. 1t
must in measure be political. Our in
fuence must be felt as dominant power
1t must be known that, like England and
Russia, we exercise some control in the
political affairs of the country which only
needs the touch of western civilization to
astonish the world. Russia is sincerely
anxious that we shall join with her in
throwing down the Chinese wall. Her
affection for England is purely selfish
one, but diplomacy is not founded upon
sentiment. With England, Russia and