The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-07-12
RUSSIA AND AMERICA.

To most Americans the European idea
that the United States must enter into an
alliance with some European power is in
applicable. For more than one hundred
years We have managed to get along and
TO thrive without an ally. Indeed, we man.
aged to pass through a great crisis in
national life when the governments in
Europe which could have helped us most
were hostile and the others were neutral.
Ii an alliance was to be useful to US that
would have been the period. Now that in
many respects the United States Is first
among nations. why should we need form
an alliance? In whar respect would an alli-
ance with any European power benefit us?
These observations are suggested by an
article in the current number of the North
American Review by prominent Russian
journalist. Russia has indicated much solic-
itude over what it regards as a tendency
toward an Anglo-American alliance. Its
ambassador, it IL said, has intimated to
our State Department that such an alli-
ance would be inimical to the friendly re-
lations of the United States with certain
powers, and especially Russia The writer
OF the article alluded to endeavors to i'm
press upon the United States that now we
have begun our career as a worldwide
power We must throw OF the shackles of
British tutelage. He tells us that the
friendship exhibited toward US by Great
Britain during the war with Spain was due
to the fact that England realized the dan
po ha y0r11H in daft, ~
Republic, with hostile Europe at her back
In view Of the common understanding that
the continental powers of Europe were dis
posed to intervene, and were only prevented
from doing so by the friendly attitude of
Great Britain toward us, this Is a most
remarkable statement. The writer then
proceeds to show the advantage which an
alliance would afford the United States.
They are not so obvious as the writer mag
ines he has made them. True, the United
States and Russia have been good friends
from the first; Russia has shown friendli-
ness to us several occasions, which We
would not forget, even If it were dictated
by self-interest. But friendliness is no argu-
ment in favor Of an alliance which would
commit the United states TO the AMBITIOUS
designs Of Russia. The domestic policy OF
the two nations has nothing in common.
In an alliance with Great Britain or Ger
many the common interest of kinship, so
to speak, would be in its favor: but there
Is not and there never can be that relation
between the people of Russia and the
United States. There is no destiny COM
mon alike to the United States and Rus
STA which the two can work out. The two
nations are hopelessly alien the one to the
other. Nor is there reason why we should
unite with Russia to dominate the world.
1t would be well for a few people at
home, who are harassing themselves over
groundless fear of an Anglo-American alli-
ance. and for the rulers in Europe to ac-
cept the fact that nobody in this country
is in favor of an alliance between this Ma
ton and any other. Upon no matter is
there greater unanimity among the Amer
lean people. We would be friends with
all Of them. but with no one of them more
than another.