Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-02-27
IOWA LEGISLATURE GIVES JOY
TO RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR.
LOOKS FOR REACTION OF FEELING
Thinks That Pro-Japanese Sympathy
In United States May Change
Pleased With Introduction of Rus
sian Resolution in Iowa House.
(BY H. J. MAHlN.)
washington Bureau of the Courier.
WASHINGTON. D. C.. Feb. 25.


washington Bureau of the Courier.
Washington, D. c., Feb. rs.
Tell the people of Iowa they have
made me very happy. shall never
forget their kind words expressed at
such an opportune time"
When Count Cassini, the Russian
ambassador at Washington, made this
statement his face was beaming with
pleasure and he was SO animated and
seemed less careworn than he was at
any time since the Russo-Japanese
war began. He held firmly grasped in
his hand morning paper containing
the news of a resolution of friendship
and sympathy for Russia being intro.
duced in the Iowa legislature and after
he had expressed his pleasure, he dart
ed back into the private offices of the
embassy to show the news to the
countess, his adopted daughter, his
secretaries and to any one else that
happened to be around.
Count Cassini has been quite sur
prised and hurt at the wave of sympa-
thy for Japan that has been going over
this country and the action of the Iowa
legislature was the first rift of sun
shine. he has had for many day. He
thoroughly appreciated it and talked Of
1T to visitors during the day. He
wanted to know all about Iowa and
about it's people. He has never been
west and does not know much about
the state but exercised the liveliest
interest in any little detail that was
given him. There is no doubt that the
emperor of Russian and his council
Ors in their cipher message from Count
Cassini received that day a full ac-
count Of the doings of the Iowa legisla-
ture.
Count Cassini, who is the dean Of
the diplomatic corps in Washington
and one of the ablest diplomats at the
capital, has regarded the pro-Japan
sentiment in America quite sensibly
though he felt very badly about it. He
has at various times asserted that he
hysterical sentiment which would pro-
badly have a reaction. In fact after
he had read of the Iowa resolution he
consented for the first time to be in
terviewed by an Associated Press cor
respondent on the question at which
time he spoke in part as follows:
s1It is fortunate that whatever may
be the feeling here and there in the
United States of sympathy for Japan,
the traditional, and so far as Russia.
is concerned, the highly priced friendly
relations between the Washington and
st. Petersburg governments in no way
have been interfered with. Every mail
brings to the embassy from fifty to
one hundred contradictions in the form
of offers of assistance, medical and mil
itary, of the statement that Russia Is
without friends in this country.
eft is SO in this country as in every
other that the smaller nation in the
struggle can count on certain
amount Of sympathy arising solely
from the fact of its minority, but it is
a tribute to the fairness of your gov
eminent that the official conduct of
your government. certainly has been
all that either belligerent could be ex-
pected in the preservation of the strict
neutrality that the President has di-
rected shall be observed by his peo-
pie.
$50 numerous have been offers of
medical and other aid" concluded the
ambassador" that have felt it my
duty to bring them to the attention Of
my government. 1t is possible that in
recognition Of the kindly spirit of hui
manity and friendliness which is
evinced by the American physicians
offering their assistance my govern
ment may find a way to accept some
of them and that American physicians
and nurses may aid us in caring for
the wounded in the far east I am
daily expecting an answer from St.
Petersburg on this point"
Fear that Minister Conger, the
Iowa man representing the United
States at Pekin. may ere long be again
in the midst of an uprising of the
Boxers of China, seems
to be gathering strength each day.The
latest news from Minister Conger was
that he had made an official request
of the Japanese minister at Pekin that
he cease to make public dispatches
telling of Japanese successes because
of the trouble such news is causing in
the Chinese provinces. 1t is declared
that this news seems to inflame the
Chinese with a desire to get into the
fight themselves and it has aroused
more talk of the dangers of the "Yel-
low Peril"
Uneasiness in the provinces comes
on the heels of the order from the
Chinese court that all provincial gov
ernors are to remain neutral and
shows that condition exist similar to
those that preceded the Boxer trou-
bles.
United States Minister Conger has
been exerting every possible effort to
prevent the Chinese court from show
ing alarm at the situation by leaving
Pekin. Under instructions from the
state department as announced some
time ago. he has continually advised
against such action, which would not
only encourage the element against
China which resents the invasion of
foreigners. 1t is said that such hostile
movement if it did take place would
be directed especially against the
United States attitude about the neu
trality OF China in the present war has
been greatly exaggerated and misin-
terpreted among the tlordes of ignor-
ant yellow men.
In -s..1- III IL