The sun., 1903-05-12
OUR STAND STARTLED RUSSIA.
H4DNT LOOKED FOR SERIOUS
AMERICAN INTERFERENCE.
No Thought NJ Carrying Manchurian Policy
10 the Point OF War-Internai Con.
dI,ion OF Cars Country Too Serious
for That success OF Our Diplomacy.
sr,c,ni cable Despatch TO THE SON

sr,ctai cable Despatch 10 THE Sun.
roSncN. May lin the light Of informa- :
,ion wlich reaches THE SUNS London
office from several sources, Russia's aban-
donment of her aggressive attitude In
regard to Mnchuria, which was announced
to-day. was inevitable. It had never been
the intention OF the Russian Government
to press TO the point Of war its pretensions
in Manchuria outlined in the so-called
terms Of evacuation submitted to China.
II was hoped that oppositionto to these de-
mands would be confined to formal protests
from Great Britain and Japan, and that
bluff would do the rest.
Serious interference by the United States
was utterly unexpected. while the great
national Indignation which the trick aroused
in America amazed, well nigh dumfounded,
the Russian officials. 1t required two or
three days for st. Petersburg to realize
the full significance Of American public
opinion. The moment it was understood
that a fatal mistake had been made the
Russian policy was reversed.
II is too late for Russia's renewed pledges
to gain any credenoe either In Great Britain
or the United States. She will be judged
row solely by her acts and not her words.
There was ample reason for the Russian
retreat besides the invincible Anglo Saxon
opposition with which she was confronted.
The latest news concerning the internal
condition of Russia is of most serious
character. The danger Of an insurrectionary
movement is perhaps greater than ever
before and the situation is growing worse
daily. The policy of the aristocracy and
bureaucracy toward the peaaantry Is be-
coming one Of increasing oppression and
Intolerance. There are many signs that
the limit OF endurance has been almost
reached The unscrupuloN. senseless
persecution in Finland is inflicted in even
severer forms in Russia Itself.
The Car is unhappily man who strives
TO follow middle course between two
great forces. He has not succeeded in
pleasing either Of the irreooncilable parties
but the governing aristo cracy resent his
curse most OF all.
In such situation as this 1t is easy to
alieve that Russia is unable to threaten
Nriousy any great power. 1t Is con-
elNaDle, perhaps, tndt sue Will seek TelleI
rom the tension by carrying on campaign
n the Balkans and Turkey In the hope Of
Cistracting attention from her domestic
grievances; but war with the United States.
Great britain and Japan or any one of them
is out of thu aassskion..sa-4~, 4----.--...e y -
The American Government may and
should proceed to demand stronger guaran-
ices han promises that every treaty right
in the territory now occupied by Russia
shall no fully protected. The European
Powers, as many journals have sarcasti-
cally pointed out during the past few days,
have long since learned to regard Russian
pledges as valueless. 1t Is within the power
Of the Washington Government to change
all this. Russia's word when given to
America can be made as good as Russa's
bond. Firm insistence on this point will
suffice to establish this novel standard.
Such diplomacy may be Of the shirt-sleeve
variety, but it will conduce to future good
relatiops hatween tho two countries