Arizona republican., 1899-07-27
FOREIGN NOTES
AND COMMENT

/ jCsS. been addressed TO the car by a
number of foreign sympattizeTs o. tbs
Films, protesting against their treat
ment by the Russian government The
1 document in question bears the sigma
lures CT some of the most eminent
m5n. of France, Germany, Great Br t
ain, Scandinavia, and of nearly every
other European country, and was con-
veyed TO the Russian capital by a iep-
ultation consisting of former French
cabinet ministers, etc But the Unit
the deputation nor among ,ha s.gners
of the petition. although he Films
have many fnends in this country and
numerous sympathizers with the injGS-
tice and persecution to which -hsy are
being subjected by Russia.
The fact of the matter IS thai the
Americans are sensible people, who do
not permit their heart to run away
With their hEad, and who are inclined
to observe that very important prin-
ciple which recommends people TO
mind their own business. Il merely
needs few moments of quiet reflec-
ton ID realize that petitions such as
at st. Petersburg are likely 10 10 mora
harm than good, and constitute u piere
OF unwarrantabla interference certain
to be resented as such
1t may be asked what would be said
on this side of the Atlantic were. d DEP
utatiOn as distinguished as that which
has just been at St. Petersburg. 70 ar
rive here from the old world for the
purpose of presenting to the United
States government a petition signed
with names as numerous and as emf
nent as those on the petition Just de-
cllned by the car, and containing a
protest against the exclusion Of the
Chinese. The petition would evcf;e
IMAGINATION mere as an Unwarrantable
piece Of interference. 1t is only nat
ural, therefore, that sentiments of she
same kind should prevail at 81. Pet
ers1urS, particularly when il 3 borne
IN mind that this is by no means the
1l1st time that the Russian government
mas been thus approached.
Thus, during the. height of the anti
Jewish movement in Russia in 1890
the then lord mayor of London trans
mftted to s.. Petersburg 2 petition
signed by thousands of representative
men, eminent in every walk of life.
urging Emperor Alexander III to treat
MS Jewish subjects with more equity
and mercy The British ambassador
OF the day declined to take any pa.,s in
transmitting the petition to the car.
Ultimately it was sent to the latter by
mail Alexander refused 10 take any
notice Of it, handed it to the minister
OF foreign affairs, de Giers. who sent
II 10 the Russian ambassador in Lon
don, who gave it to Lord Salisbury.
VINO turned L over to his under Secre-
tary of safe, Lord CurTie. who sant ii
0ack TO the lord mayor Of London IN
opened and without any comment.
Inc recent petition on the subject OF
FINLAND received on the whole more
conslderate treatment. Both the car
and the minister of foreign affairs de-
clloed t0 receive the petition or the
oeputaclon and referred both to the
minister of the int5rior. The Iar-er
invited the depUtation to an elaborate
omcIal luncheon. at the close of which
he Informed them in the most delics+e
manner possible that their mission was
a useless one The delegates in conse-
Que1ce thereof betook themselves TO
Helslngfors, where they deposited the
petition in the national archives of
inland, along with the various Fin
nlsh petitions sent to St Petersburg
from HelsLngfOrs and which the ear
likewise refused to receive.
The duke of Connaught is about to
take over from Lord Roberts the office
OF commander-1n-chief of the military
forces in Ireland, and as such will take
up his residence al Dublin n the grand
old building known as Kflmai1haim
hospital, which is the official abode of
the generaIssimo of the army in Ire
land and a far more palatiaI and m
posing abode than the residence of she
vlceroy at the castle or IN Phoenix
park Ii was in olden times a priorv
of the Knights TempIars and was
founded by the celebrated Earl Strong
bow in 1174. The duchess of Con-
naught accompanied the duke. with
the object of giving directions as to
the arrangement which she wished to
be made at the royal hospital. which is
TO be her home for the next five years.
The dukes appointment as com
mander-in-chief in ireland gives much
satisfaction. for i, gives IL Irish what
they have been asking 20: al along.
namely, a prince of the cICoJ making
his home N their island. while on the
other hand the duke. as generalissimo
will escape all responsibility in con
nection with unpopular acts of the
government which would necessarily
rest on his shoulders if he had been
appointed viceroy as suggested
OF course the viceroy will preceds
the duke On all official occasions by
viuue Of the fact that he takes the place
OF the sovereign. But Lady Cadogan
as viceTeine viii have TO yield the post
to the duchess just in the same WY
that Lady CurzOn would be Obliged to
do in the event of an English royal
princess visiting India. For the posi-
ton of viceretne is purely honorary
and, unlike that of viceroy, gives 10
precedence over members of The royal
family.
Prince Louis of Battenbsrg's ap-
pointment 10 the head of the mobiliza-
/ ton department of the British admir-
atty. which controls all work n con-