The San Francisco call., 1904-02-28
AMERICANS
"SNUBBED"
IN RUSSIA
Treated as Foes of
the Gar S Gov
eminent.
Proposed Gable Ex-
tension Adds to
Bitterness.

ST. PETERSBURG, Feb. 27.-The
Bourse Gazette to-day makes a WASH
ington dispatch. saying the United
States has undertaken to lay sub
marine cable from the Philippine ISL
ands to Japan to prevent the latters
isolation in case the Russians cut the
Shanghai cable, the subject of a bitter
attack upon the Government at Wash
ington for this new evidence of its
breach of neutrality" claiming that
the contention of the United States
that the landing of the cable would be
undertaken for the improvement OF
trade relations does not clear Amer
ica's skirts" and inquiring what the
Americans would say if Germany had
run a cable from Kiaochau to Port
Arthur of V!adivostok."
The news that the United States had
assented to the extension of the Pa
cific cable to Japan, with the reasons
assigned in the dispatches from Wash
ington, still further aggravated the pop
ular belief that the United States is
siding with Japan against Russia. The
lew III Ol ClEl oOul AAe1 W
all remarked on the changed de-
meanor of their Russian friends. For
merly they were treated with the
greatest cordialitY, but now the Rus
slams greet them with the question:
rs America our secret enemy and Will
we have to fight her also before the
war comes to an end?"
OLD FRIENDSHIPS SEVERED.
How deeply the Russians are wound
ed by the belief-destined, unless
checked, soon to become a conviction
that America has spurned her old
friend and is now playing a hostile
role, is shown by this severance of
personalities, of which a striking in
stance occurred this week in a promi
nent drawing room, when the most in
innate Russian friend of an American
lady declined her proffered hand. Upon
the lady's exclamation Of astonish.
ment. her friend broke into tears and
said she felt aggrieved at all Ameri-
cans since the reported action of the
commander of the United States gun.
boat Vicksburg at Chemulpo.
The attitude of the United States is
a subject Of constant discussion even
in the highest circles here, where with
the greatest regret the fear is ex
pressed that the two countries, with
out excuse so far as Russia is con-
cerned seem to be drifting apart. The
recently reported cancellation of Amer
ican contracts indicates how the re-
sentiment of Americas supposed hos
tility has invaded business affairs.
Popular feeling is, of course, to be.
largely attributed to certain of the
Russian newspapers. which have sud-
denly turned their batteries from Great
Britain to the United States and have
seized every rumor to place the worst
possible Interpretation upon its acts.
BITTERNESS OF THE PRESS.
Without waiting for an explanation
which, it is apparent from the dis
patches received here to-day from
Washington, will put another complex
ion upon the Vicksburg incident, the
columns of the press for days past
have been full of excited comment
based on the original version of the af-
fair. In spite of the state of popular
opinion the Government. it can be con-
fldently asserted, places the highest
value on American friendship, and al
though the course of American diplo-
macy is at times privately viewed ask
ance, officially the Government of the
Gar assumes that the American atti-
tude has been strictly correct. nor is
the slightest disposition TO question its
acts manifested.
At the Foreign Office to-day the press
was informed that the Government
knew nothing officially of the Vicks-
burg incident and that it had not in
structed Count Cassini, the Russian
ambassador at Washington, to ask for
an explanation. 1t was. however, said
to be possible that the ambassador had
courteous1y inquired as to the truth Of
the Vicksburg reports. without having
had specific instructions.
Regarding the reports of the cable to
Japan the Government is also without
official advices and the impression left
with the representative of the press,
! after having spoken of the matter, was
that even if these were true Russia
would not necessarily consider the
running of this cable a breach of neu-
trality.
The press is authorized to say that
the Russian proclamation concerning
contraband of war will be issued in a
| few days.
CABLE QUESTION UNDECIDED.
NEW YORK, Feb. 27.-It was an
nounced in dispatches from Washing
ton on February "a that the CONNER
cial Gable Company had addressed in
quiries to the Government as to wheth-
er permission could be secured to land
on the island CT Guam cable connect
ing with Japan. This cable would con-
meet at Guam with the Pacific Com
| mercial cable to the United States. 1t
was said that the request was based
upon the apprehension that the exist
ing Japanese cables, both of which run
to Shanghai, might be cut during the