Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1904-04-17
RUSSIA AND AMERICA.

HOOSlA AMI AWChiSN.
In the current number of the Phil
adelphia Saturday Evening Post Col.
John S Cooper of Chicago marshals
an array of testimony and document
airy evidence to prove the caption OF
his article, Russia, Our Friend in
Need" which is the leading feature
of the publication. 1t is legal pre-
sentiment of the evidence of the case
out resort to argument that Russia
was unfaltering in her friendship to
the United State throughout the civil
war and that the ear actually ten
dered to President Lincoln the ser
vices If the Russian fleets sent to
New York and San Francisco in the
event of foreign interference. The
evidence presented by Colonel Cooper
plying the details of events in which
the main facts are we'll known. and i
is convincing tc anyone who needs l.
be convinced if any such there be,
but however interesting and conxine
ing. it seems that the article IS of
doubtful Importance beyond an appeal
to American gratitude and republics
are prcverbialy unsrateful.
1t is not necessary to rethrash old
straw to convince anyone familiar
with the foreign relations of the
UnTed States during the civil war that
Russia was the friend of this country
at the time of the "unpeasantness, =
but the general knowledge of that fact
is supplemented by the further fact
that the Muscovite government was
i'm PEELED largely if not solely, by self
interest.
1t may be doubted also if it is neces-
sary t. make an appeal to American
x dt II Hut' III A'iuti lo tOulIttF at diiti-
Russian sentiment in the United
States with respect to the present
war because what passes for anti
Russian sentiment is mostly the ad-
miration expressed for the remark
able evidences of progress among the
Japanese and thenatural sympathy that
all people have fer the little fellow
engaged in conflict with burly an
tagonist Except for the righteous in
dignatCn aroused by the Semitic mas
sacres in Russia the so-called anti
Russian sentiment in this country is
not based upsn any deep-rooted antip-
athy or enmity for the cza or his
empre-at least NJ mCng the people
whose opinions are Of any value.
The apparent hostile attitude of
this country officially at the begin
ming of the Russo-Japanese war was
in reality but a manifestation of
the folly of secretary of state
with a prediction for pulling
other peoples chestnuts out of the
fire and taking a seeming delight in
the risk Of buring his fingers There
has never been any real disturbance
Of the entente cordiale existing Off
cialiy between Russia and the United
States, except the anxiety aroused in
St. Petersburg by this one incident,
mr. any reason for change in the
traditional friendly relations of the
two governments.
There Is one sure way. however, in
which Russia can always be certain of
the friendship and good will of the
United States officially and of the
American people as well, and that is
IL deserve it. 1t must be merited
however. i'm the present. without re
lance upon the remcte past. for times
change and men and nations change
with them
In the present instance, if the senti-
rnent OF the American people could be
accurately analyzed, it would probably
be found that the existing state of pub-
fc sentiment is due t. the act thai
Japan within recent years has done