Arizona republican., 1904-03-15
A Russian Weakness.

Czar Nicholas received a deputatio1 of Russian newspaper man the other day, and urged them to tell the truth about the war. Presumably the edi- tors were tco polite to suggest to his majesty that the same admonition might te addressed with propriety to the Russian army and naval officers in the far east and to the diplomats.
 Indeed, if the czar wishes to under take a great resorm-one sufficiently difficult and important to be worthy the efforts of such a powerful autccrat as he is-he will undertake to impress upon all Russians-and upon Russian diplomacy, Particularly-the wisdom Of telling the truth under all circum- stances An international sensation would be caused by the discovery that truth had become a fundamental part of Russia's diplomacy.
 The Russian press and people are complaining bitterly because of the many expressions of American friend ship for Japan, and they fail to under stand that this sympathy is built on founda ton of sentiment-that it springs largely from the American dis like for intrigue. insircerity, evasion and double dealing, and partiality for candor and steadfast adherence to the truth
 It is true that Russia has been OUT traditional friend fer a hundred years. It is true that in 8, great emergency in our civil war, when Great Britain was about to recognize the southern confederacy and WIS held in leash from week to weelk by the firm hands of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in an emergency which threatened the very life of this republic-a Russian fleet appeared in the har6or of New York, sent there dnder sealed orders to support the United States in the event of war with Great Britain. And it is undoubtedly true that a prompt comprehension of the situation led the British government to adept a more friendly attitude toward the United States. The people of the United States are not ungrateful; and while understanding very well that the mo- tive which prompted Russia's action was net friendship for this country, but far-seeing recognition of the tremendous advantage which England would gain in the worlds commerce should she divide the United States and S11ccaed in talyiY,o, +ba oo,, o.,., ~.,, under her protection, there has been no disposition to deny the obligation under which the czar's government placed us. The purchase of Alaska was simply one way of saying to Rus sia that we stood ready to reciprocate favors which she had done US. And Russia might have retained American friendship, just as we'll as not; to the extent, at least of finding in this coun- try a strict neutrality of feeling and equal feelings of friendship for both Russia and Japan in the war now waging.
 During the past few weeks there have been numerous attempts to ac- count for the prevailing feeling of sympathy for Japan. We are con vinced that it is mainly due to the fact that we like Japan's methods better than we like Russias methods
 Russia's way seems to be predicatcd upon the theory that it is necessary to be deceitful in negotiations Russia s diplomacy is noted the world over for it's artfulness. It is the diplomacy of an age which is past, and takes for sound doctrine the silly epigram ut tered by Talleyrand, that words are given us wherewith to conceal our thoughts Tn dealing with the far eastern question, from the time that she forced Japan to give up the fruits Of the China-Japanese war and appro- priated them to herself, Russia has pursued a policy of deceit and evasion She might have had the warm sym pathy of the United States if she had frankly stated her policy; had explain ed that the necessities of her commerce demand an ioe-free port on the Pacific and that this port could be obtained only in Chinese waters, and that she was fcrced by her very destiny to re- tain control of Manchuria. Instead, however, Russia fddIed and denied, backed and filled. promised and repud-
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