The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-07-21

tude, which recall the strongest days,
of the national policy, he has Justified
the trust Of the country.
Russia's Position Called "False."
.eWhile not one rash word should be
said which could have the effect of In
creasing the tension Of an anxious and
dangerous interval. 1t would be futile
to disguise the character or to minis
miZe the risks of the situation which
has arisen. We hope and believe that
solution Of the difficulty may still
be found in the withdrawal Of the
Russian government from it's false po-
sition. 1t is obvioufif the volunteers
passed the Dardanelles as merchant
Vessels they cannot be allowed to
scour the Red sea as Warships.
I! 1.-THE doors of the Black sea must
either be open or shut. If open to
Russian warships they must be so to
all Warships If the Russian fleet Is
to be permitted to emerge, IN viola
ton of treaty provisions, the British
fleet must be allowed to enter upon
these terms.
| "It is no secret that we have not
been unwilling to remove the existing
veto Of the Dardanelles and enable
those straits to be traversed by the
navies of all nations.
England's Honor '.Insulted."
/ cit would be impossible to con-
ceive more remarkable accumula-
ton Of illegality and error than has
attended the present case. If this
country were capable, under any cir
cumstances, of tamely enduring SO
grave an injury to the most vital OF
it's interests and so great an insult
to it's honor, we should have forfeited
our claim to be a great nation. In
| az oi Of q think If NAV
be assumed that the Malacca may
never be ,navigated by a prize crew to
any Russian port. She is watched
by British warships, and she will IN
any case, be restored to her owners
long before she can be taken thru
the Dardanelles= or navigated to Ii
| bau. .' az
i This emergency, in some, respects,
I is the most critical that has marked
our relations with Russia in the last
twenty years, and in face of the In
famed state of public opinion in ST.
Petersburg, it would be unwise to
blind ourselves to the existence OF
possibilities that would otherwise be
unthinkable. This country has adopt
ed with decision and composure an
attitude from which there can be no
retreat or f1inching.
I'VE seek a simple redress for a
violent and unprovoked injury, and
upon the will Of the car, we cannot
believe that civilization will look to
him during the next forty-eight hours
, in vain."
The foregoing announcement from
an organ SO VIGOROUSLY inspired, with
it's open reference to possibility OF
war adds enormously to situation
that already was grave enough =.
War "Openly Contemplated"
|, Every other London morning pa
-|,per devotes it's leading editorial to a
similar view of the situation. War
with Russia is openly contemplated
by the most staid papers of the en-
pire as a contingency much to be re-
: GREETED, but nevertheless inevitable
i for the honor of the nation, unless
f speedy reDaration be made forSsWha1
t is alleged to be dire insult to the
: British flag.
t such organs as the Daily News and
: the Chronicle, representing the ex'
r tremes Of the liberal party, which
i took a stand against thezzlBoer war
: urge the government to take every
E step to retrieve the honor Of the
l British nation.
: The Keynote of the Standards edi
i. torial, in declaring that the4 Malaccs
/ must not be allowed to- leave Por
: Said under the Russian flag, is a.
8 follows:
I We do not keep powerful feet in tn
, Mediterranean in order that the inlan'
S sea shall be the scene of such an outrag
= on international justice. Should the rep
! reservations Of Sir Charles Hardinge, tn
s British ambassador at ST. Petersburg, un
n happily be ignored, proper. instruction
n must be sent to our commander in chic
o on the Mediterranean. It would be de
plorable necessity, but one for which "
cannot blame ourselves.
The Times says:
: His majesty's government has taken
s course which the nation expected it t
: take. No government in this countr
e could possibly acquiesce in the preten
: sions implied in the action Of the volur
e teer fleet steamer st. Petersburg and n
O government could allow the Malacca
+ be taken to a Russian port or to be cor
! demned by a Russian prize court.