The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1904-04-07

No Sympathy for Far East.
Charlotte Observer.

The Detroit Journal comes to the
aid of Russia to the extent of ex-
pressing distinguished considera-
ton and best wishes in time of
trouble but says the fight with
Japan is one it cant mix up in any
more tangible way than with our
sympathies. This sympathy is ex-
pressed for the reason that in spite
of great faults, it likes Russia for her
own sake and for the enemies she has
made. In giving the reason for the
sympathy expressed, the Journal
prints some interesting alleged his
torict.l facts. 1t calls attention to
the naval demonstration made by
Russia during the Civil War "as a
warning to European nations which
were inclired to take advantage Of
the embarrassments under which the
Republic was laboring," and asserts
that the value of the assistance rem
dered the United States during the
Civil War has often been called into
question, and "those who have felt
that particularly heavy weight of
gratitude was due to the country
that was a friend indeed, having
proved it's friendship in time of need,
have even been defied to produce the
scratch OF pen from contemporaries
Gus records at Washington by which
the tremendous service thus rendered
could be established as a part of the
history of the Civil War period"
This stumbling block, however, is
largely removed by the assertion of
Charles Moore, private secretary to
the late Governor Mcmillan, "who, in
the course of a long residence in
Washington, had opportunity to ac-
quire familiarity with many events of
historical interest through contact
with persons who had a participa-
ton in them. The Russian fleet" it
is asserted, ''was sent over under
sealed orders anG, its dispatch not
being due to the terms of any formal
treaty, it is possible that there may
be no records at the capital giving
the graceful incident the prominence
it deserves" Mr. Moore even goes
so far as to assert on the authority
Of member of the Senate Committee
on Foreign Affairs during the post
bellum period that the millions later
given for Alaska, then considered a
particularly worthless region, were
really paid to recompense Russia for
the expense incurred in making the
naval demonstration. This informa-
tion regarding the purchase of
Alaska mayn be true, but it should
be, for it is hard to believe that the
United States would have paid out
81, 100000 at the time they did for
a lot OF Esquimaux and Polar bears.
The Journal goes on to point out
the fact that "a statement often made
is that an intelligent, polished Amer
lean gentleman resembles no one so
much as he does an intelligent, well
educated, polished Russian gentle
man, who hasn' t been associated with
the beaurocratic methods of his own
government" and continues:
Remembering Russian cordiality
in the past, and viewing with appre-
hensiOn the possibilities behind
Japanese victory, thousands of Amer
leans of the intelligent, thinking class,
sympathize with Russia in the pres
ent fight. And really she seems to
need sympathy. If, as is asserted
and seems to be the case, no nation
ever went to war more thoroughly
prepared for all eventualities than
Japan, it seems that on the other
hand that none ever faced the posi-
bilities of the opening of hostilities
in a more wretchedly unprepared
state than the Russian possessions in
the far East
Although it is now nearly 40 years
since the close of the Civil War, the
above shows that Incidents in con-
nection Herewith, even on the part
OF foreigners, are not soon forgotten.
By the same token as that cited bv
the Journal the South should have
svmpathized with Spain in her trouble
in Cuba, at least until the destruc-
ton of the battleship Maine, but such
was by no means the case, and the
effort to enlist sympathy in the North
for Russia will probably fall fiat, for
the main reason that the belief is
general that it is to our commercial
interest for Japan to succeed. The
South has also that interest and the
TACT that Russia opposed her in the
Civil War anc ardently hates her old
time friend, Gr, ut Britain. 1t will be
a rather uphill business to create a
feeling in this country favorable to
Russia. The belief that Japan is
right and Russia is wrong is too
strongly entrenched to begin with.