The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-07-18
RUSSIA AND AmERIoA.


One does not need to be a close stu
dent of international politics and
diplomacy to discover that at the pres
ent time there has been reached between
the governments of Russia and America
an interesting epoch in statescraft.
Could the people see the interior OF
the intricate diplomatic machinery
which controls the destinies of this
country, some interesting discoveries
might be made. 1t might be possible
that we would obtain some new ideas
about Russian friendship" and we
might more fully understand the sig
nificance of Secretary Hays demand
that the ports of Manchuria be not
closed to the world by Russian Interior
ence.
There is reason to believe that Russia,
in her continued harping upon the long
continued friendly relations" between
herself and The United States is either
playing for time in the interna tional
struggle, or is endeavoring to disrupt
what she believed to be an impending
alliance between this country and Great
Britain. 1t is stated that Russia's &C.
cupation of Manchuria was checked
solely by the determined stand which
was taken by Secretary Hay. Russia
feared to offend the United States and
was obliged to disavow any inteation to
occupy Manchuria; an intention. by the
way, which had already been officially
communicated to the United States gov
eminent through Minister Conger.
There is an incident of interest which
is related in connection with the efforts
of Russia to persuade the United States
government to make no protest against
the occupation of Manchuria by Rus
STA. Count Cassini the Russian ambas-
sador, called upon Secretary Hay before
the official Russian disavowal of its
Manchurian programme, and tried TO
point out to him the great advantages
which Russia could offer to this coun-
try, if allowed to occupy the great Man
churian territory. Through Count Cas-
SIM. the Russian government practically
agreed to give to the United States ex-
elusive privileges of trade in Manchur-
ian ports.
If such an offer was made. it was pro-
badly the richest bride ever held out by
one great government to another. Rus
STA agreed to turn into the United States
an immense volume of trade which
would be enjoyed by his country to the
exclusion of our greatest competitor, Great
Britain. 1t was Great Britain that Rus
STA desired to damage. and it feared to
do so without the secret partnership of
the United States in the enterprise.
Secretary Hay rejected this princely
offer, and renewed his demand for open
ports for the whole world on equal
terms And when Russia knew his at
titude it boldly declared that it never
had any intention of occupying Man
churia.
This is only one of the great diplo-
matte incidents which had recently ia
ken place between Russia and America.
The massacre of Jews brought forth an
other. 1t seems that by some peculiar
fate, or perhaps by powerful diplomatic
forces, Russia and America are being
brought together, and it is reasonable to
suppose that Russia is the one which is
making the advances. With America
for her friend, Russia could defy Eng
land and the world. But with the An
glo-Saxon races allied against her, Rus
STA sees the inevitable curtailment of her
of expansion in the Orient.