The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-02-05
RUSSIA MOST FRIENDLY
At No Time Did She Join the
Continental Coalition.
STORIES ARE UNFOUNDED
Russian Papers Are Unh ampered as to
Foreign Affairs-Do Not R epresent
the Government-Czar Peace
Views Will Finally Prevail.

London, Feb. 4.-Ethan Allen Hitch
cock, the retiring ambassador to Rus
STA, who was recently appointed Unit
ed States secretary of the interior, ar
rived in London on his way to Wash
| ington. He carries home the strong
est pro- Russian sympathes. In an in
terview had with him by a representa-
tive of the associated press, Mr.. Hitch
| cock denounced emphatically the sto-
ries current since the beginning of the
Hispano-American war that Russia
was member of the coalition of con-
tinental powers which would have in
tervened in the dispute had England
not refused to join them.
These stories are utterly unbound
ed" said Hitchcock. There has been
never a single item of proof produced
to substantiate them, and on the con-
trary Russia has been most friendly to-
ward the United States and has mani
tested that friendship during the past
years in many ways, of which my po-
sition forbids me speak. Unfortunate
ly, the Russian government is so con-
stituted that it cannot do much talk
ing in such cases as the present, but
can only wait for time to afford oppor-
tunity for proving the truth. When
this opportunity arrives it's friendship
Will be demonstrated. The false i'm
presslons which have arisen are very
unfortunate and I think are largely
due to the utterances of Russian news
papers, certain of which are popularity
supposed to be official organs; whereas
the supposition Is utterly unfounded, as
they represent the government no more
than independent sections of the Amer
lean press represent that government
I'm criticising domestic policies. the
Russian papers must be most cautious,
put when 1T comes to foreign affairs
they are allowed a degree of liberty
and even license which surprises me
Of course, they say things that inter-
fere with the governments plans and
they may be cautioned and told that
they are injudcious, but ordinarily they
are entirely unhampered
Like most persons making the ac-
qualntance of the car. Mr.. Hitchcock
has profound admiral ton for the
young potentate and expresses himself
strongly as to his frankness, sincerity
and enterprise. After the formal pre-
sentation of his letters of recall of Sat
urday last, Mr.. Hitchcock had a long
personal >alk with the car and Count
Muravieff, the Russian foreign min
lister. He SCOTS at the idea that the
cars peace propaganda is inspired by
any but the highest motives. Regard
ing the cars proposal looking to the
limitation of ornaments, Mr.. Hitchcock
said:
THE czar is in no wise discouraged
by the reception of his plans for check
ing the increase of ornaments He has
not any idea that he will achieve all
he desires Immediately, but is firm in
the belief that his views must prevail
in time and at a not far distant time. !"
Mr.. Hitchcock was delayed for a fort
night by the difficulty he encountered
in arranging for reception by the
czar on account of the winter festivities
which were in progress and in which the
members of the royal family partici-
pated actively, the car attending re-
unions OF various regiments and maxi
ing addresses. He will sail on We'd
nesday, but his family will not go to
washington until the fall, Mr. Hitch
cock not desiring to take a house there
SO near the close of the season. The
members of the retiring ambassadors
family are now in Berlin and will spend
some time in Italy and at Constantine
pie. Mr. Hitchcock will assume the du-
ties of his new position Immediately
upon his arrival in Washington
Regarding his selection by President
Mckinley as Mr.. Bliss successor he re-
marked: My appointment was as
| much a surprise to me as it could have
been to the public"