The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-02-28
RUSSIANS WON'T SHAKE
HANDS WITH AMERICANS
Even Society Women Show Their
Bitter Feeling Against the
United States.
DRAWING ROOM INCIDENT

ST. PETERSBURG, Feb. 97.-The news
that the United States has assented to the
extension of the Pacific cable to Japan,
with the reasons therefor assigned in dis
patches from Washington, still further
aggravated the popular belief that the
United States is siding with Japan and
against Russia. The few Americans in
St. Petersburg have all remarked at the
changed demeanor OF their Russian friends.
Formerly they were treated with the great
est cOrdiality, but now the Russians greet
them with the question: "Is America our
secret enemy, and shall we have to fight
her also before the war comes to an end?
How deeply the Russians are wounded
by the belief IS destined, unless checked.
soon TO become conviction, that America
has spurned her old friend and is now
playing hostile part. is shown by this
severance of personal ties, of which an
instance occurred this week in a promi-
nent drawing room, when the most init
mate Russian friend of an American
woman declined her proffered hand. On
the wOman's exclamation of establishment
her friend burst into tears and said she
felt aggrieved at all Americans since the
reported action of the commander of the
United States gunboat Vicksburg at Che
mulpo
The attitude of the United States is a
subject of constant discussion even in the
est regret, the fear is expressed that the
two countries without excuse, so far as
Russia is concerned, seem to be drifting
apart. The recently reported cancellation
of American contracts in Russia indicates
how resentment of Americas supposed hos
tility has invaded business affairs. Popular
feeling is to be attributed largely to GER
tain Russian newspapers which have sud
denly turned their attacks from Great
Britain TO the United States and have seized
every rumor to give the worst possible
Interpretation of Il.
Without waiting for explanation which
it is apparent from the dispatches re
ceived to-day from Washington, will put
another complexion on the Vicksburg in
cident, the columns of the press for days
past have been full of excited comment
fair. In spite of the state of popular opir-
ion the government, it can be asserted,
places the highest value on American
friendship and although the course of
American diplomacy is at times privately
viewed askance, officially the Car as
sumes that the American attitude has been
strictly correct The slightest disposition
to question its acts is not manifested
At the Foreign Office to-day the Associ-
ated Press was informed that the govern
ment knew nothing officially of the Vicks-
burg incident, and that 1t had not in
Structed Count Cassini, ambassador AT
Washington, to ask for an explanation. 1t
was, however, said to be possible that the
ambassador had corteously inquired as TO
the truth of the Vicksburg reports without
having had specific instructions.
Regarding the report of the cable to
Japan. the government is also without Off
cial adVices. and the impression left with
the representative of the Associated Press
after speaking of the affair. was that even
were these reports true, Russia would not
necessarily regard the running of this cable
as breach of neutrality. The Associated
Press IS authorized to say that the Russian
proclamation concerning contraband of wal
will be issued I'm a few days.