The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-02-08
MONDAY, FEB. 8, 1904.
AMERICA NOT ANTI-RUss.

The Russian newspapers at least are
evidently convinced that feeling in the
United States is opposed to them in
their present issue with Japan. They
; go much further than that, and the
more influential among them declare
repeatedly that Japan has secret en-
enlargement and assurances of assist
ance from the government at Washing
ton. These statements are made so
boldly and openly and with such vio-
lence of feeling that it seems probable
that the opinions which they express
may be shared by the Russian govern
ment itself.
We cannot imagine how this idea has
obtained currency, unless it may be
that Russia gets her views about the
United States and it's policy from the
same sources that we get ours about
Russia and its policy-namely, the
English newspapers. The whole Brit
ish press is intensely anti-Russ. 1t
hardly scruples to misinterpret and
even to misrepresent everything relat-
ing to Russia's foreign policy Great
Britain is SO much a party in interest
In the present imbroglio that she may
even be drawn ultimately into the fray
herself 1t is greatly to her interest
to convince Russia, if possible, that she
will have the United States as an ally.
We cannot explain in any other way
the existence of feeling in st. Peters,
burg so definite and so bitter as that
which we have noted. The truth is, of
course, that there is no very intense
sympathy throughout the United States
in the Russo-Japanese affair in either
direction. Both countries have been
our friends. The friendship with Rus
STA is so old and so close that it would
require some direct injury to us to
shake it. We are in hearty sympathy
with Japan, and the admiration which
the country has expressed for all our
institutions, her sympathetic appeals to
us, and our great increase of COM
merce with the empire tend to
strengthen good will. Besides this,
there is a general belief that our com
merce with China will be badly re-
stricted if Russian authority is estab-
lished in Manchuria, and viii grow and
flourish under any other regime. For
this impression Russia has onIv her.
self to thank, and it is the only fact
that places her at disadvantage in
the thought and feeling of our people.
Were vote to be taken tomorrow In
the United States we are in doubt as
to which of the two nations about to
fly at each others threats would have
the support of a majority of our neopIe.
AS to any influential utilization by this
country with either of them. we sboul1
say fatty that it is impossible were
any other man than Mr. Roosevelt in
the presidents chair. He is so utterly
unreliable, so temperamentally unable
TO keep out of shindy, SO incapable
OF understanding either the principle or
the wisdom of abstention bv the
United States from entangling alIi-
ances. that we never know where he
viii be found when cudgels are whis-
Ting and heads being broken. Aside
from his personal peculiarities. this
government has absolutely nothing to
do with developments in the far East.
and even he, we think, cannot commit
IL to either party. Debauched as orr
people have become to a certain extent
py expansions and dreams of world
empire, we think that majority or
them would nevertheless fatty repudi-
ate any man or any party that sought
TO drag us into conflict SO distant and
so alien to our interests as that between
japan and Russia.
Upon the whole, there is a lot Of
good feeling toward Russia in this