Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-09
Our "old Friend Russia.

In the almost universal expression OF
sympathy by the American people on the
side of Japan in her contest with Russia
The Star has noted but one voice raised In
behalf of the latter country. In COM
munication to this paper the writer says:
II have observed with surprise your edi-
torial of December 30. 1903, in which you
speak of Brutal and Faithless Russia
That such q statement, against the fr1eno
and ally of the United States. should have
occupied the space in your editorial column
seems beyond belief. 1t appears extraor-
binary that the only friend we had during
the war between the states, in the Wide,
wide world. should be held up to execra-
ton. Is the memory of the war so soon
forgotten? Republics are ungrateful. There
fore il Is said they die. Millions of Amer
leans do not believe this. Russia saved us
during the darkest period of the civil war.
We cannot forget 1t, and in any contest
that she may be forced to enter upon may
the great and good God give her the VIC
tory" ,..-
There is something almost grotesque in
the claim that the most absolute despotism
in the world. under whose sway there Is "a
spy in every household" and every whis-
pered utterance in behalf of freedom or
the rights of man brings swift and terri
BILE punishment-that this brutal auto
cratic power should out of pure love for
our blessed land of light and liberty and
its republican Institutions stand as our
friend against all the world in time Of
need,
The flimsy nature of the preposterous
myth of Russia's disinterested friendship
for us is shown conclusively in an article
from the New York Journal of Commerce
printed elsewhere in The Star.
The hostile course Of Russia toward US
In the war with Spain is established be-
yond dispute, and the article goes on to
say:
Ample evidence has been found in the
Spanish Red Book that Russia. in the war
of 1895, was a secret ally Of Spain. 1t Is
certain that at no time prior to the deStruc-
ton of Cervera's feet did any sentiment
either of sympathy or congratulation come
to this country from any Russian source;
that the Russian ambassador absented him.
self from Washington during the entire pc
riod of hostilities and was engaged in diplo-
matte consultations in various European
capitals which it can safely be presumed
were not dictated by considerations Of
warm friendship for the country to which
he was accredited.
But In spite of these and other demon
STATIONS of its hollowness the tradition Of
Russian friendship for the United States
survives. Newspapers and public men still
persist in believing that the visit of the
Russian fleet to New York in 1868 was q
timely and valuable evidence of Russian
good will. Count Cassini has even had the
assurance to claim that Alexander II "out
of pure friendship offered to aid you during
your civil war with treasures of gold and
his feet of ships, with orders to the COM
manding admiral Lossowsky, fnstructing
HMM the event of recognition Of the con-
federacy by France and England-to place
his feet at the disposition Of the American
government"
The general acceptance of this particu-
larry gauzy story Is all the more singular
r-inrx of fl,A Sc, bot fhnr to- ut cir
gle memorandum, letter or dispatch to be
found in the Department of State calcu-
lated to bear out the declaration that such
an offer. either of money or ships, was ever
made to the government of the United
States. The intrinsic improbabllity of the
thing Is patent In 1863 the credit OF the
Russian government was particularly low.
and 1t had just lost seventy millions of
roubles in an Intellectual attempt to resume
specie payments. In that year the out
standing paper currency of Russia, almost
wholly unsecured, amounted to nearly $50
millions of roubles.
A country that had fioated in 1852 a 5 per
cent loan of f15,000.0OO sterling at only 91A.
and spent most of the proceeds in trying to
reduce the volume of it's outstanding
paper. was hardly in position to offer the
United States treasures of gold' In 1858.
Moreover. at the time the Russian feet of
half dozen wooden vessels arrived in New
York harbor the danger possibility of
the confederacy being recognized either by
France or England had long since passed.
4 recent commentator on this subject, Mr..
Ralph NJ. Mckenzie. makes the point that
the true cause of the dispatch of the fleet
was the apprehension of another outbreak
OF hosuiities between Russ on the one
side and France and England on the other
over the question OF abrogating the clause
of the treaty of Paris. which prohibited
Russia from maintaining an armed navy in
the Black sea. In case Of war it was in
tended that the feet should be safe in neu-
trail waters instead Of being cooped up for
destruction.