The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-03-04
COUNT CASSINI
MUCH WORRIED
Held Conference With Secretary
Hay-..Was No Talk OF
War Feeling.
NEWSPAPERS THE CAUSE

/
UnfriendIy to the United States
and Popular Sentiment is
Very Antasonistic.
| Washington, March 3.--An important
conference lasting more than an hour
occurred between Secretary Hay and
Count Cassini the Russian ambassador.
The growing ill feeling in Russia
against Americans and the continued
attacks of certain parts of the Ameri-
can press against Russia was the main
subject discussed.
Count Cassini also informally in
luired about the report that the Com
mercial Gable company had applied for
landing privileges at Guam for cable
from that island to Japan He was as
| sured by Mr. Hay that this government
at present was considering no such ap-
plication. The ambassador did not give
any intimation as to what the attitude
Of his government would be in this
matter. The Associated Press dis
patches from st. Petersburg, however.
have stated that the Russian govern
ment would view askance the grant
ing OF such privileges by this govern
ment during the present war. 1t is as
sumed that this government has de-
AOA SOAAs
slider such an application.
TO correspondent of the Associated
Press Count Cassini said that the Rus
sian people long since had learned to
| regard the people of this country as
their fast friends, and that it had been
bitter disappointment to them to find
American newspapers attacking the
pie and the Russian policies. He said
the first feeling of his people had been
| one Of painful surprise, but that this
Is now crystalizing into deplora BILE
feeling of unfriendliness.
Tone of Press Very UnfriendIy.
THE tone of Russian newspapers"
said the ambassador, "as conse-
newspapers is beginning to take very
painful direction in their references to
the United States, and in my opinion 1t
IS III the interest of both countries that
| some measures shall be taken to check
this before 1T is too late.
| Fortunately the relations of the two
governments continue, as always alb
solutely friendly, and for this reason 1
am hopeful that the present unfriend-
| liness on the part of the press of the
/ two countries will not be lasting. The
sriendliness of the American and Rus
sian governments, it is my firm belief,
furnishes the basis for the restoration
and preservation of the traditional
| friendship of their two peoples, and I
hope some means may be found for the
latter to reach a better understanding.
Il am convinced of this because a
careful analysis of the criticism ex-
pressed in this country fails to show
any real ground for the bad feeling
which evidently prompts them. My
people naturally cannot understand
| these attacks upon them, and have
! q fho n
them. For example, one reason which
has been advanced is that this country
| Is displeased that Russia was unable
to evacuate Manchuria last October.
Trouble Began Early.
1T was the earnest hope of my gov
ernment that 1T would be possible to
withdraw it's troops from Manchuria
guarding our peculiar and predomi-
nant position there, position which
has been recognized by all the pow
ers, made it impossible for the evacu-
alton to take place with safety. The
Russian people. knowing, Furthermore,
that the avowed. prime and sole in
terest of the United States in that
province is commercial, and that the
government of Russia has given to all
the powers, including the United
States, the most positive assurances
that their commercial rights will be
protected and safeguarded, whatever
emergency may arise, are unable to
explain the continued attacks of cer-
tain American newspapers against
Russia because she has been un-
able with safety to effect an evacua-
ton.
Feeling of Disappointment.
Ut is a tradition In Russia to feel
friendly to America, and it is but
natural that feeling Of disappoint-
ment has swept over Russia when
American newspapers have arrived
there attacking the government and
the people In a bitter manner
Il have been repeatedly assured by
the officials here that 1T is the earnest
wish of this government that the old
traditional friendship between Rus
sia and the United States in the in
be disturbed. | have the best assur-
ances that this government will OBJ
serve complete neutrality in the far
eastern war Indeed, its attitude has.
in this respect, been all that either
belligerent could desire, and Russia
has no doubt that it will continue abb
solutely correct.
Russia does not expect, now that war
e on, that this country shall be anything
riore than neutral. My country does not
lsk that you should be pro-Russ.an and
oot pro-Japanese. but that you should be
lro-American. She expects, and ! can
out hope. that she viii receive fair treat
ment at the hands of the American press
ras you say. in this country-a fair show
Ing. One of the reasons for the present
Unfortunate situation is the large num-
Yer of absolutely false reports which have
teen sent to Russia from the United
Etates about matters affecting the far
iastern situation. These reports have
contributed much in arousing sentiment
igainst the United States. True. they
have been corrected, but a correction
never reaches as many people as does the
original report.
II have spoken with you frankly, in the
aope that something might be accom-
,lished towards clearing the situation"
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