The Indianapolis journal., 1898-06-19
THE AMBITION OF RUSSIA.


Two of the June magazines have articles
bearing upon the purpose of the autocracy
of Russia, but they are of widely different
character. The article in Harper's, by Mr..
Julian Ralph, entitled Awakened Russia
seems designed to counteract the dstrust
and hostility caused by the papers of Mr..
George Kennan in the Century a few years
ago. The other paper is in the North Amer
lean Review. 1t is written upon the assump-
ton that either the civilization of the Anglo
Saxon or the standardization of the Sav
will rule the world, and to avoid the domin-
alton of Russia in the worlds affairs all the
nations which are marked by the civiliza-
ton pertaining to the Anglo-Saxon must
unite.
AS government, Russia has no changes
in administration. Its present. council of
statesmen is, following out the policy out
lined a hundred years ago. When one of
that small body of men skilled in state
craft dies, the ablest subordinate, taught in
the same school and inheriting his views is
his successor. The policy of Russia is to at
tain controlling position in the world by
diplomacy and conquest. 1t seeks power
through domain rather than by progress in
civilization. If it is an awakened Russia"
to-day, in the sense of turning attention to a
development of the industries of civilization
it is because it has discovered that such an
awakening is necessary to carry out it's
steady purpose of territorial ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
and domination by force. Compared with
other governments, Russian rule has done
little for the elevation of the masses. True
the central power has abolished serfdom,
but it's act was not inspired by a sense of
the injustice of the system, but was intend
ed to break the power of the nobles Rus
sia has no system of popular education like
Germany and France. The condition of the
peasantry of Russia is that of universal
poverty and ignorance. which the rulers
seem disposed to continue. If the auto
cratic government of Russia should awaken
to the necessity or desire to elevate the
masses of that vast empire its movements
would not be opposed Awakened Russia"
far as Mr.. Ralph sets it forth, appears
in fresh designs to acquire territory He
asserts that Russia is master of Turkey,
and he practically confesses that it's rail-
road-building and its movements in the
Orient have but one end in view-the SUI
premacy of Russia in the worlds affairs.
The article in the North American Review
is written by one who does not disguise his
hostility to Russias policy; nevertheless.
what he declares to be the purpose of the
imperial rulers of Russia is admitted by Mr..
Ralph-domination by militarism rather
than the uplifting of the masses by the diff
fusion of intelligence and the creation of
great commerce such as advanced cfviiiZa-
tion demands. Russia has been our friend
in the past because, with our adhesion to
che Monroe doctrine, the United States
could not interpose to interrupt its designs
in Europe and Asia. 1t sold us Alaska to
show it's recognition of our claims under
the Monroe doctrine In it's schemes of
domination Russia fears Great Britain
alone. To render that government helpless
as far as possible it has won to it's side both
Germany and France in spite OF their hatred
for each other. Because Russia has done
this it has been most active in the Orient
the past year. The one thing the far-seeing
statesmen of Russia would prevent is an
alliance of the United States and Great
Britain, or even a friendly understanding
between them. 1t is the power of Great
Britain in the East that Russia antagonzes,
not only because it stands in the way of the
extension of its domain, but because the
civilization which the Anglo-Saxonism of
Great Britain represents is at war with the
reactionary autocracy and militarism of the
SIav.
The writer in the North American Review
urges an alliance of all the nations which
possess the progressive civilization of the
Saxon to resist the policy of domination
which has been the ambition of Russia for
century. One or the other will rule the
world If the Slav has the power civiliza-
ton will march backward; if the Anglo
Saxon races rule the world civilization will
advance. AS for the Latin races, they are
of the past so far as taking a leading part
in the direction of the world is concerned.
The fact that Russia has an apologist and
advocate in one magazine. and that writer
hostile to Russia is admitted to another,
and that both agree that the ambition of
Russia is imperial domination, is significant.
The jealous interest which Russia has man.
ifested in regard to the policy of the United
States in the war with Spain needs no other
explanation than that the outcome may lead
to territorial changes and national combi-
nations which may initiate against the
plans of the Russian autocracy.