Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1898-1906, 1905-08-09
RUSSO F.. AMERICAN.
AN ALLIANCE AGITATED FIFTY
YEARS ago BY HERTzEN.
The Leading Paper Of st. Petersburg
Reprints story of Early History
Has a Bearing on Present Situation
HE Was ExiIed for His Advanced
Ideas.

The republication at st. Petersburg
in the Novoe Vremya of an article
written in 1859 by Alexander Hertzen,
the Russian author and political agi.
tator, in which a strong plea is made
for Russo-American alliance and in
which the American and European sys.
TENS Of government are compared
most favorably to that of America, ia
not without interest and is considered
significant, particularly with the gen.
eral political situation and the fact
that Russia today is upon the point
of establishing representative assem-
bly, and granting the country some sort
of a constitution.
The presence Of the Russian pleni.
potentiaries in the United States also
adds significance to the republication
Of the article, as likewise does the No.
voc Vremya's relation with the gov.
eminent. The Novoe Vremya is fully
aware that the relaunching today OF
Hertzen's ideas Is acceptable to the
government, and in fact, the printing
Of it may be called semiofficial.
Hertzen died in Paris, January 81,
1870, after many years of exile because
Of his advanced ideas, which were not
acceptable to the Russian government.
During his exile he published in Lon
don a newspaper Of liberal tendency
carled Kolokol 1.-THE BELIEF, and in
which he carried on a relentless propa.
ganda for the constitutionalism OF Rus.
STA. The circulation of Hertzen' s
works in Russia was prohibited until
within the past few months, when
the ban was removed.
The opening paragraph Of the article
published by the Novoe Vremya is a
strong and logical plea for an ALI.
ance between Russia and America,
quoted by Hertzen from a Philadelphia
newspaper printed in 1850, and citing
philosophical and political reasons
therefor. The idea of possible alli.
ance ia one Of the principal theses OF
the article, which, continuing, says
that Russia should free herself from
the old world prejudiees and tallacies,
and turn to her great neighbor across
the Pacific and learn good lesson
from her political and commercial sue.
cesses.
Russia having reached the Pacific
says the article, there stands between
the two nations only the broad ocean,
but naught OF Anticipated prejudices
or envy. II Russia can free herself
from the st. Petersburg tradition, her
best and most natural ally IL the
United States Of America"
Hertzen notes lack of sympathy on
the part of other European nations for
Russia and refers to Americas kindli'
ness to that country, Both countries
overflow with strength, energy and the
spirit Of organization" continues the
article, both are without pasts and
both began their national lives by
breaking with traditions"
Hertzen commends Americas hand
ling Of questions Of state. declaring
that American institutions fulfill all
the demands of the democratic repub.
lie. He eulogiges the American consti.
tuition and the electoral system, saying
that Russia should study these care
fully and follow many Of the features
thereof, He says that the European
systems Of government mean war. mis-
cry and poverty, and asks why Russia
follows Europe.