The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-10-07
MAY BE GOOD FRIENDS
TALK OF AN ANGLO-RUssIAN UN-
 OUTSTANDING.
Certain Advances in Direction of Entente Between the Bull and
 Bear Said To Be

London, Oct. 6.--Following closely upon the publication of the text of the Anglo Japanese treaty 7has come considerable talk of the possibility of an understanding between Great Brit ain and Russia. All the newspapers are devoting columns to thes discussion of the question. pointing out that il Russia is sincere in her expression oi q desire for peace, in central Asia there is no reason why the two ancient enemies should not come to an agree. ment that will not only assure peace but clear away the suspicious leading to friction which have existed fol years. That negotiations with thit object in view are pendings seems pos sible, though definite official confirm ation Is lacking. ,s4.,,
 Color is lent to the rumors that hay, been floating about by the recent fire quent visits paid to the foreign office by the Russian ambassador since his return home from his holidays a fort night ago, and the fact that Foreign Secretary Lansdowne who returned from his vacation to publish the text of the Anglo-Japanese treaty. remain ed at his office continually since then. Count Beneckendorff. the Russian ann bassador, had a long interview with Lord Lansdownef at the foreign office yesterday, and the latter left London immediately afterward for Balmoral, Scotland, where Premier Balfour, the prime minister, is m attendance to King Edward.
 Of course the visit of the Russian ambassador to the foreign office may have been connected with Emperor Nicholas invitation to Great Britain to participate in the second peace con- ference at The Hague, but Great Brit ain had already answered his majesty's preliminary invitation. It Is thought tA kat hn nR a m a moment for reaching better under standing between the two countries. both the British and Russian papers having strongly advocated 1t for the past week.
 The position of the British Govern ment was clearly stated In speech de- Hyered by Gerald Balfour, President of the Local Government Board. yester- day, in which he said:
 'Great Britain has no intention of making aggressive movements in Gen. tral Asia. Our object M defense and not defiance, and If the Russian Gov menment desires to come to an under- standing with us with reference to our respective interests in that part of the world, it will not find the British Gov ernment backward in, readiness to con- slider any proposals which 1t might de- sire to put forward"
 The newspaper discussion has reach- ed q much wider range and includes suggestions for agreements which. if jcarried out and lived up to. would make Europe a family in which there would be no differences. One of the sugges- tions which most appeals to British officialdom and the London press Is that Russia, Germany and France should subscribe to the terms of the Angio-Japanesce treaty It is pointed out that if they are sincere in their protestations of desire for peace in Asia there is no reason why they should not subscribe to a treaty which has this object in view. The sugges- tion that Great Britain should more fully recognize Russia's position In Southern Turkey has not been given much consideration in LondonE though possible there may be one of the points on which the agreement if reached will be based, and 1t may be a return for Russian guarantees of her often re- peated assertion that she does not de- sire to advance any further towards the Indian fronties.
 The public in Great Britain would welcome an understanding which would put an end to the frequent periods or unrest and consequent unfriendly rela- tions with Russia.