The Tupelo journal., 1904-03-18
THE PRESIDENTS
IRE IS AROUSED
He Doesn't Relish the "Veritable
Nightmare" Idea.
SECRETARY HAY ONLY LAUGHS
Considers 1t as a Typical S~peciment
of Russia's Brand of Diplomacy
and an Effort to Whip Us
Into Line,

Washington, March 11.AThe remark
able inspired statement from St Pet
ersburg, in which American diplomay
was said to be "a veritable nightmare
to Europe" and Secretary Hay was
spoken of as IAN unknown quantity"
has aroused the ire Of the president.
MI. Hay laughed at it. He considered
it only an effort to whip the United
States into the line. mapped out by
Russia through semi-of1icial statements
to the press associations, and he re-
CARDS it as a typical display of Rus
sian diplomacy.
Made the President Angry.
But the statement made Mr.. Roose-
welt angry, and if the opportunity is
presented he is quite likely to show
his displeasure as plainly as he did in
the warning to Russia that was issued
from Oyster Bay last summer.
AS a matter of fact there is nothing
OF an unknown quantity about Mr.. Hay
so far as his attitude toward Russia
and Manchuria is concerned. The
United States, as represented by Mr..
Hay, is the n power that has stood
for the integrity of China and prevent
ed the ACKNOWLEDGMENT of the empire.
In holding Manchuria 70 be a part of
China Mr.. Hay has taken great care
to keep the record clear at every step.
Has IA Warship Sent There.
When the Russians tried to grab and
close the port of New-Chwang, Mr..
Hay had a warship sent there to spend
the winter to show that this country
held it to be an open port.
An American warship is now sent
there every fall and kept there until
spring. Mr.. Hays last act in main
tanning his position was in securing
exequatur from China for the Ameri-
can consuls at Mukden and Antung.
This was done simply to establish
again the principle that Manchuria is
a port of China. 1t is supposed that
Russia saw some deeper meaning in
1t and that it was this action that
prompted the latest wall from st. Pet
ersburg.
The Essence Of the Difficulty.
The essence of the whole difficulty Is
that neither Count Cassini, the Russian
ambassador, nor his government can
be made to understand the exact atti-
tude of this country.
Though Count Cassini has been in
Washington almost six years he has
not learned enough of American insti-
tutions to know that the president can
not declare war. Every time a state
ment is printed that the state depart
ment is annoyed or displeased with
some Russian attitude, Count Cassini
rushes to the state department to in
quire whether the president has de-
clared war against Russia or intends
to do so.
Will Not Understand.
Mr.. Hay has told Count Cassini
many times that the United States con
siders Manchuria a part of China and
will do all it can to preserve the in
tegrity of China, but that it certainly
is not thinking of going to war to pre-
serve it's commercial advantages in
Manchuria, no matter what may hap
pen there, and if there was any such
thought of wal it would be a question:
for congress, and not for the presi-
dent, to decide. Count Cassini is al
ways satisfied for the time being, but
as soon as a cloud appears he hastens
to Mr.. Hay with the same questions.
Would End the Matter.
If Count Cassini and his government
could be brought to understand that
the president can not declare war and
there is no thought of wal in the state
department, it probably would put an
end to the annoying statements from
st. Petersburg that are rapidly on the
increase.
Mr.. Hay has repeatedly stated that
he will go to the furthest diplomatic
length to preserve the integrity Of
China and prevent Russia from shut
ting American trade out of Manchuria,
h,,t NOT ono Ston f1rtbo-