The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1899-03-23
THE CHINESE SITUATION
ambassador Count Cassini Dis
cusses the Eastern Question.
WHAT WILL UNCLE SAM DOS

That Is the Cucstion In Which Hus-
sin IL the Most EnrucstIy interest
ed-PnrticipRtion by This Country
Is Grcnuy Desired nnd would he
Cordially Welcomed.
The Russian embpssador, Count Cas-
gini is probably the best authority in
Washington on certain phases Of the
eastern question He was for many
years the cars representative at Pc
king, and it was he who obtained from
China the first important concessions re-
garding the Siberian railroad Count
Cassini consented the other day to give
his views ON the Chinese situation.
"There are SO many ways of viewing
the open door proposal and 30 many
interpretations To be placed upon it,
said the Russian ambassador, that it
is delicate subject to discuss. took
issue with Lord Charles Beresford and
l think made my position plain, Now
new aspect is presented, and we are
faced with the proposition which Italy's
action in China has made possible. Rus
sia 8 attitude is not changed by this ae-
ton We have never opposed the open
door, and consequently we can take No
other attitude than that which has
been officially announced from our for.
eiRn Office many times
But we are wondering what our
great neighbor to the west, the United
States will do in this emergency 1t
would seem now that the United States
will be forced by the necessities Of the
case to take part in the deliberations of
the nations concerning China's COM
merCial existence. As in Russia, there
are in the United States tremendous in
terests at stake, world in itself, where
the wealth of large part of the couD-
try seeks an outlet
"Of course | can speak only for Rus
sia, but there seems a similarity Of in
terests to guard and to promote Russia
is at the entrance of her industrial and
commercial development. and she win
endeavor to shield this development
from all that might retard it. We have
vast countries just awakening from tho
lethargy of centuries and becoming
grain lands and pasture countries, and
from the outlet on the Chinese sea we
hope to enter the commercial world in
the four quarters Of the globe.
"With our Siberian railroad we will
carry to Europe the treasures of India
and of China. The tea product alone
will bring us an annual income of 40,-
900 rubles. Other staple products yield
proportionate figure, Then it is hoped
to extend our merchant marine across
to your great western countries and
bring your overabundance into Asia
and Africa.
"For this reason Russia would well
come the United States as factor in
the councils of the nations that must OF
necessity govern the east. We have
never, officially or unoffic.ally, protested
against the American occupation Of tho
Philippines On the contrary, we have
welcomed the United States in coming
nearer to us, as one friend welcomes
another 1t has been the source of much
qualification to me that Mr.. Hitchcock
lately ambassador TO st. Petersburg.
has told the American people about the
attitude of Russia before and since tho
Spanish war 1t would be expected that
Russia's ambassador here would say
that nothing hostile had been done
against your country by his own. His
position would be otherwise untenable
But Mr.. Hitchcock is a disinte. ested
witness, and when he has so cordially
and so eloquently reiterated what /
have said TO the American people for
many months | am, Of course, deeply
grateful
Russia maintains her old historic
attitude toward this great nation. She
was one Of the first to aid the founders
of this republic, and she has been
throughout its growth a sympathetic
and sincere friend During the civil
war she did her part when its existence
was threatened, and if during the war
which has just been fought the United
States needed the aid of Russia it would
have been given as freely and as fully
as in the past
"There have been many TO assert
very different things of Russia feeling
toward America, and there are still
some who say that Russia has ulterior
intentions in endeavoring to draw the
United States into the Chinese ques-
tion Time and the authority Of your
own ambassador to st Petersburg have
proved the falsity of the first PROPOSE
ton and of the second ii can be- said
that Russia is not trying to draw the
United States into the Chinese ques-
tion but II the United States TO protect
her vast commercial interests, sees fit to
seek voice in deciding this important
issue Russia will be the first to welcome
her and To cooperate In finding just
and satisfactory solution Of It's diffi
culties New York World