New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-02-06
RUSSIAN RATINGS At AMERICA


The extraordinary outbreak Of the st. Peters
! burg 'Novoe Nremya" against the United
States might be passed by with good natured
federation were It not for two or three reasons.
one is that this is not the FIRST such offence OF
/ that paper. Not long $50 Il INDUCED in a SINH
! lar diatribe largely directed against The Trib-
! une, which we promptly showed to be com
posed Of unsound arguments based upon false
grounds. In now renewing the attack the Rus
sian paper indicates a purpose Of pursuing an
anti-American campaign. Another reason is
that because Of the censorship the utterances
Of Russian papers, of which tie 'NOvoe Vre-
mya" is one Of the foremost are Invested with
more quasi-official authority than those OF other
lands The assumption is justifab,e that little
appears in a Russian paper that is politically
displeasing 10 the Russian government \ third
reason is that at so critical a time IN interna-
tional affairs as this every influential public
utterance should be marked with all possible
discretion and conservatism, and any such ut
terance that is either recklesslv OF malclousy
untrue and likely 10 create a false impression
and wrongly affect International relations
should be promptly and effectively repudiated.
Now. il may be said without hesitation that
the statements and insinuations Of the "NOvOe
Nremya" concerning America are entirely I'M
true, and so Croundless as to seem quite waDton
and inexcusa5le. II would be difficult 10 con-
ccive a calumny more gross than the intimation
that America is playing the part Of a secret
enemy" and is Systematically endeavoring 10
hurry Japan into war" in order that ''over the
dead bodies Of the japanese she may get a
"foothold on the Asian continent" and secure
a monopoly OF Chinese trade and industry. If
it be true, as the papers correspondent asserts.
that such monstrous stuff is generally believed
at Port Arthur, then it is high time for port
! Arthur" to be substituted for "Bedlam" in the
/ lexicon Of madness. Even worse, If that be
| possible. are the editorial declarations OF the
same paper that America is the real foe Of Rus
! STA, screened behind Japan. that the United
! States IS trying TO exclude Europe from the
| East Asian markets, and that If war occurs 1t
twill have been irstigated by the Yankees with
their utilitarian views" Such things are the
rawlings OF lunacy. Yet Mr.. Syromiatnikoff is a
man OF parts and intelligence and generally
sound judgment
II America had been seeking a monopoly in
! Chins, it would have sought TO establish and
| extend a sphere OF influence there, after the
Russian and German fashion. II did not do So
| On the contrary, It has consistently stood for
the policy Of territorial integrity and the open
do0r-a policy the exact reverse Of monopoly
and calculated 10 make monopoly impossible.
There has not been one single act or word Of
America in China pointing even remotely or in
directly al a monopoly or at exclusion OF En-
rope. We venture 10 add that there has never
been such a thought IN the mind u any resp9n-
sible American statesman. There is absolutely
nothing in the record or in the present attitude
or tone OF this country 10 warrant the nsper-
sions Of the "Novoe Eremya." The American
offence which has reused the ire OF some Rus
slams seems TO be not that we have sought TO
exclude others from China but that we have
refused 10 let others exclude Us. IL that be an
offence, then those whom Il offends may make
the most OF It, for assuredly & is the fixed policy
OF this country.
But however much the "Novoe Vremya," and
even the Hiceroy, Admiral Alexief. may rage,
we cannot believe that the Russian govern
ment which repeatedly gave its sanction and
adherence TO our policy Of the open door. will
now take offence because we are putting that
| policy into practice by sending a couple of con-
/ suls through that open door into Chinese ports.
Russia says to Japan that she cannot negotiate
with her concerning China, for China IS an in
| dependent sovereign power. Then Russia sure
| ~ cannot take 1t anliss if we regard China as
such power and make treaties with her and
send consuls 10 her ports without asking the
consent az any else The attitude OF
America toward China. Sad toward Russia and