New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-03


The republication of Alexander Hertzens Ola
essay on a Russo-American alliance Ill the
"Novoe yremya," of St Petersburg. is some
what noteworthy incident, in view of existing
circumstances. That paper has been conspicu-
Gus for It's criticisms of and antagonism toward
America 1t is supposed to have particularly
close relations with the Russian government
and the censorship is just now more active anu
exactny than Mt any time for many years If
we add to these the further facts that reform
of the Russian governmental system is now
the dominant topic of official and popular In
terest in that empire. and that Russian peace
plenipotentiaries are at this moment the guests
OF the American government the peculiar sig
nificance of this republication is strongly sug-
gested. 1t means good deal that there can
now be made. with government sanction. pub
lication which less than half century ago was
forbidden and which brought upon its author
the penalty of exile.
SO far as America is concerned. it is TO be
borne in mind that this country does not con
tract alliances in the common European mean
ing of the term but that 1t is ready, on suitable
occa sion. to cultivate a friendship even closer
end stronger than is commonly known among
European nations. America cherishes no tradl-
tional animosities and no legendary feuds. At
the very outset of her national career the prin
ciples were established of honest friendship
with all and entangling alliances with none
and there has since arisen no cause and no IN
china ton TO depart theTefrOn2. Many interna'
tional friendships have been cultivated. They
have however, invariably arisen from due
causes and from practical causes, ana, II ever
those causes have unhappily ceased to be OPP
era tive there has been danger of the waning
of the friendships. The community of origin.
blood language law and aims has. of course,
made friendshp-or more than frendshIp-be-
tween America and England the strongest and
most constant of all Toward other peoples
not thus connected with by ties of nature
our attitude has varied according TO the degree
of their sympathy with our institutions or of
their approximation TO our ideals. To cite. with
out righteousness a single example: American
friendship with France under the present re-
public has been far stronger than it was or
could have been under the Second Empire.
Now. the friendship with Russia which Amer
lea would be glad to cultivate must be based
upon something more than an incident or TWO
in history. To be lasting 1t must have the last
ing basis of conditions and circumstances OF
national life. To speak very frankly there is
nothing in autocracy. nothing in JeW-baltlnS.
nothing III repression of civil liberties, nothing
In massacres to inspire American friendship.
There
TO do so, and there would be much in the grant
ing of Il representative government and the en-
ghtenment of the people. If Russia can free
herself from the st. Petersburg traditions, wrote
Hertzen forty-six years ago. her best and most
natural ally is the United States of America.
Not her ally in the technical sense. but GER
tainly her most sincere and sympathetic friend.
OF that there can be no question. To cite an
other example, the interest and sympathies OF
America were strongly engaged by Japan when
that nation freed itself from the traditions OF
the Shogunate and turned its face toward civil
freedom and enlightened popular government.
A similar movement in Russia would not fall
instantly to produce similar result in America
Hertzen's suggestion of 1859 is. in the highest
md most precious sense. possible and prac-
ticable for fuflment in 1905: but its fulfilment
must come through the ways and means which
Hertzen himself indicated. and not through a
persIstent clinging to the things which he dep
recated and which he denounced as obstacles to
the attainment of the desired end.