The attitude of the United States towards Russia in connection with the Manchurian question, together with the action of President Roosevelt in forward ing the American petition in favour of the Russian Jews arising out of the Kischineff massacres, has caused several prominent papers t9 enter into a discussion Of the traditional friendship between the two countries. The Russian papers state that the Government authorities regard the tone of American comment on the Kixchinef massacre as unworthy of a nation which has for so long a time been on the friendliest terms with Russia. The Now York "Times" refers to the subject ay follows We heard much of Russia's friendly attitude toward us during the civil war and of her sending several warships to the Atlantic and to the Pacific with "sealed. instructions." Much has been made of this. That it was a benefit to te was quite true, But has any one disclosed what those "sealed instructions" were and has any one a right to suppose that they were for any other purpose in to offset England, or, in other words, that her relations towards us, even during the civil war, were anything more than moves made by her upon the chessboard of European diplomacy purely and only counter moves to England? The Trscia of to-day has nothing in common with the United States, and she would, she could, blot our Declaration of Independence out. of existence and wipe Liberty from the face of the globe. The graphic forecast of her policy by England's greatest diplomatist, Stratford Canning is verified in our day "Rome of old extended its sway by conquest, but wherever its eagles flew the arts. of civilisation followed. The Russian bird of prey has no such commission. It turns indeed toward the sun, but the shadow of its wings is blighting and moral desolation closes upon its flight." Let not a false or misplaced gratitude check the humane sympathies Anericans for the despoiled Finns, the persectited Christian Stundists,, and the Oppressed and massacred Jews The Brooklyn" Citizen" is not more sympathetic in its comments, as the fol-Jowing extract shows The friendship of Russia, of which we ye heard a great deal too much for years past, is plainly subject to the qualifications just indicated. " Whatever its depth, it originated with states-gen who have long been in their raves, and whose stecessors have done nothing warrant us in believing that they are in the least controlled by the feel which they would, when it suits thei Convenience, have us imagine to be the deepest. emotions of their hearts. Cor ceding. for the sake of argument, that the was prepared to 3 in the civil war, in England and ase yened in behalf of the coniedera:
manifest that she has more than can-welled that. service by what has happened Since, as she had previously, in opposing the independence of the colonies, done an act that clearly devolved upon her the doing of some notable service if she ever intended to figure in our list of friendly states. No American needs to be depressed the thought of possible ingratitude to Power which began its relations to us by opposing our independence, which later menaced our existence by forming the Holy Alliance, and in these quite recent has been found fomenting a European coalition to our disadvantage and adopting measures to exclude our merchants from Manchuria. The balance leans al! the other way, and the wonder is not at all that our people are reluctant to put Russia on their black list, but that they did not. take steps to that end long ago. These things are becomingly recalled at present, because of the insulting suggestion from St. Petersn.rz that this count is barred by a so-called historic friendship from expressing itself freely on the recent atrocities in Kischineff. There had been teal. friendship between the Court, of Louis XVI. and the colonies struggling for their liberty, but when the bloody ssu cessors of that unhappy king proceeded to convert Paris into slaughter-house, it never occurred to his tuccesors, as we have already said, to Tinain mute, as if muzzled by some deep sense of obligation to the murder Granted, we say again, that Russia eerrice to us in the civil war, but is Chat any reason why we should at this late day refrain from making as_ plain and manly a distinction as Washington Grew between the France that had been our ally, and the France that bad, for a time. become the representative of all that. is. signified by the word pandemonium Mr. Eh in's scheme for an perial Zoliverci ex: poet attracted a great Attention in the United States. The prevailing opinion (with some notable Exceptions. however) would seem to be that Mr. Chamberlain has, by taking this step, completely isolated "himself in English polities. It is considered. that the removal of the grain duty is an indication that the Government: does not share his tariff views, and that the uncompromising attitude taken by the Liberal leaders shows that he can look for small support in that quarter. papers. however, express the opinion that be able to. carry scheme if he suceseds in convincing the sh labouring tariffs will higher wages and old age pensions.
We extra the following rentark: ent thi que:
n from the Detroit Tri-
Confused by the prophetic utterances of Mr. Chamberlain and Mr. Carnegie, the British public seems to be in a state of uncertainty. Mr. Carnegie tells them it is useless to butt their heads against a stone wall because their star of empire is shifting westward. Instead of fooling Away time and wasting their strength and money in Asia and Africa, they would bettor busy themselves in getting on good terms with the United States. The Union will presently be more intue in the colonies than the empire. Mr. Chamberlain is advocating & reciprocity policy with the colonies that would bring about a zollverein for mutual benefit. "This is an alluring scheme, when considered by itself alone. It is a scary proposition when the British public considers the possible effect upon their trade with the rest of the world. There are nations that could struggle along fairly well with all the world against them. When one has med the United States and Russia, ho is apparently at the end of the list. Tt is a not.ble fact that even these powerful, resourceful and self-contained nations are straining every point to get into closer touch with the foreign trade, and that is pretty good evidence that a liberal policy is found to be the best policy. Great Britain is the last nation in the world, one would think, that should attempt to erect. barriers. about herself and her colonies and fence out the rest of the world by discriminating tariffs. Eighty per cent of her trade is outside the colonies. How can she afford to exchange 80 per cent for 20? But, the Chamberlain supporters might say, the Empire can develop that 20 per cent: into a volume equivalent to the present world trade, If this were true prophesy, it would take a lifetime to accomplish that, end. British Sanufacturers need. " profitable market: and British workmen must have the necessaries of life in the meantime. Under the present. discrimination tariff granted to Great Britain, the Canadians Complain that they get no adequate equivalent. Great Britain cannot erect barrier of 33 per cent between herself and her best customer and chief source of trade, the United States, without pro-roking retaliation that would destroy her profit in that trade. Under existing con-titiens, the Canadians buy far more from the United States than from England. If the preference should be made great enough to ent off foreign trade, every foreign government would retaliate.
Britain would then be forced to policy that once nearly wrecked her—# Policy that did wreck Spain. A) small Pountrs, densely populated, cannot feed Steel. Tt must earn its bread by manu facturing. It cannot manufacture without 'a sure market. It cannot have a sure market unless it is cither on easy trading terme with the world at large, or unless can exercise absolute control over other people whose powers of consumption are Ryral to the master nation's powers production.
The Toronto "Mail and Empire," expresses, in afew words, the views of those who look favourably upon Mr. Chamber-
Mr. Chamberlain's speech is certain to give a great, impetus to the preference sletement, which has been so consistently Mivoeated" by the Liberal-Conservative party in Canada. We have believed that fore of public opinion needed only to brin; a strong leader in the political world. At it into activity the sanction of this distance it is difficult thoroughly to appreciate the currents of public opinion SPFGreat Britain, but it seems that the Hour has come and with it the man.
reproduce the following remarke Silver Commission" from on "The N Chronicle an International, Exchange Commission, compo: ed of Mesi-Jeans and citizens of this country, is to R. ae 7
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.