Arizona republican., 1903-07-02
PHoEN1X. ARIZONA, JULY :, 1go;
Russia and the United States.

RUSSIA ana the OHtLeQ States.
 It is regrettable, of course. that American sympathy for oppressed Russian Jews and protests against the 1lishinefr outrages have caused T cool ness to spring up between the Russian Hear and the American Eagle. but the incident should not be regarded too se- riously, even should diplomatic rela- tions be broken off temporarily. That Is, it is to be regretted that there is any disturbance of the traditional friend ship between the two countries, but there is not the remotest danger of war between Russia and the United States, notwithstanding the sensational head lines that We shall see in the yellow dailies for the next few days. But it should not be forgotten that the bonds of Russo American friendship about which orators have talked so much have but little substance in them, after aH
 There is, in reality. nothing in com mon between the United States and Russia. There is a tradition that Rus sia did us substantial sevice at one period in our civil war, when the czar sent a squadron of warships to New York. It was generally believed that the English government was disposed to pick a quarrel with us and take the side of the confederacy, and that the threatened war was averted by infor- mation reaching London that the Rus sian admiral had secret orders to hoist his flag on the side of the United States in the event of an attack from Eng land. The exact truth as 10 the de- tails may never be known. The story belongs to the unwritten history of the three countries involved, and as long as all three are at peace such facts as are contained in the archives will re- main in diplomatic pigeon holes. The main points in the legend are. probably true, however. No doubt England was led to pursue a circumspect course by the knowledge that should she begin a war against the United States the opportunity would be improved by Rus sia to fall upon the British in the rear. There is probably good foundation for the popular belief that it was out of gratitude for Russia's friendly demon stration in our waters at a critical time that Secretary Seward agreed U take Alaska-then considered a nation al white elephant-off Russia's hands. But at no time has there been a mis- understanding at Washington or Lon don as to the motives which controlled Russia in the premises. Russian statesmen saw that if England was permitted to intervene in our civil struggle 1t would mean the triumph of the southern cause, and the creation of a free-trade nation, the control of whose cotton. and general markets would fall into English hands, the re- suit being to make England the abso- Iute mistress of the worlds commerce and Russia's invincible antagonist in the far east. Moreover, it was well understood at St. Petersburg that a chance to wrest India from English control would be found when England was desperately at war with another great nation. But in all of these cal culations concern for American insJi- tutions, or real friendship for the United States. had no place. It was one of the master-strokes which at times have marked Russian diplomacy. and in no sense indicated any frindship on the part of the Russian people for the American nation then struggling for its existence.
 At no time, indeed, have there been any natural ties of sympathy, or any common understanding, or any com munity of aspirations, between the Peo- pie of the United States and the peo- ple of Russia. The Russian masses are densely ignoraint are narrow religious fanatics, and are without ambition, and the average Russian peasant knows as little of America as he knows of Gen. tral Africa. So far as Americans are concerned. in ain impulsive and gener- ous way they have had a feeling of friendship for Russia because of the wartime episode to which we have re- ferred, and this feeling has has been fostered by the professional politicians, who until recently have made abuse of England the chief fabric of their speeches. The Irish question and hatred of England were inseperable texts, and some how it was always deemed fitting to bring in something about Russia's copartnership with us in enmity for all things English. The kinship of blood and a thousand mutual interests form a broad basis for strong friendship between Americans and Ger mans and Americans and Engiishmen. but all these things are lacking when we consider Russia.
 And beyond all this, the sentimental