Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1894-10-04
WILL DIVIDE CHINA.

than the partition OF China In three
separate divisions and placing over
each an independent native ruler. III
Hung Chang being mentioned as
one u them. The plan must have
been conceive In moment when the
rulers Of Japan had become iizzy onao.
count OF the victories already gained
on land and sea over their Toes.
10 10 evident that the Japanese
forces 20 far have had the better OF the
war, even when allowance IL
made for the usual exaggerRlions
OF tho reports. Thelr chips
are superior and their army better dis.
cipllned. They have driven the
Chinese back and are on the road TO
Pekin. Hut Notwithstanding all these
advantages, 1t 10 not 10 be expected
that, n tho war l. carried on to the
bitter end, they can effect 20 complete
subjugatlon OF the empire a. the plan
for i,s partition would imply. II may
be possible Tor the mikado, u general
rebellion In China should tsko place,
TO doposs the present dynasty, but
when that Is done, the Chinese them
selves, who are not inspired by en-.
thusiasm for the present ruler, would
most probably rally for the defense Of
the country and drive tho Japanere ln-
vadcra from their borders. They might
be defeated agrin and again, but their
armies would still receive reiuiorcc.
ments anu by their very defeat would
learn to nghi and to conquer until the
foreigners. exhausted aud deoimated,
would have to return to their own
territory. AMI then the roles might
possibly DO reversed. The Chinese
might take notion TO carry thc war
over to tho Islands ami make II exceed
ingly unpleasant there. II 10 tfue that
numbors In modern warfare do not
count quite As much A. they once did.
but a country with hundreds OF
millions Of inhabitants cannot be- sliced
up very eAsily.
Japan had better learn lctaon from
the wars Of Peter the Great with his
western nelghbor. When first he met
his youthful antagonist ON the shores
Of Nara, his numerous hord,s we're
scattered liks chad before the wind,
and Charles XII had dreams Of divid.
ing the empire between his friends.
Time and again tho czar rallied his
horiea and reinforced them, only to
meet defeat before the Insignificant
army Of Swedos. But he carried on
tho war aud Mt last he found his
Poltava where tho invaders were
routed and the country got rid OF the
enemies. II took years to accomplish
this, but II WAS nevertheless done,
and It was by q perevering
policy Of resistance anu over
whelming numbers that the victory
was achieved which established Russia
ms great power OF tho world anu
saved II from partition. The Chinese,
once free from the hated foreign rulers,
would DO likely TO mass themselves
around some Peter the Great OF
their own, aud II they do, their san
guiue ntighbors have but small chance
Of accomplishing their object.
To have China broken up In ffag.
monIs would certainly be- great thing
to Japan. That would establish the
latter country AZ the nrst power OF
eastern Asia, which by tho way Is the
dream Of that kingdom. "Japan,"
said a high olil,ial some time ago,
10 missionary, "hAs glorious
future. The kingdom OF the
II sing Sun win yet shlne TAR ami
vile. The world will see AMI know
'hat the Island empire has mission as
glorious Ms 1t Is certain" And II IL the
vision OF that coming glory which
animatss the people to raise their cry:
"On to Pekinl" as the French once
shouted; "a Ia BsTllnl" Il Ia another
question, however, how the ascend.
ancy OF Japan would affect the inter
esIs Of the remainder Of the world.
The powers Interested may not object
to little brush between the two coun-
tries, but should II go too far, there
would certainly DO Interference aud It
10 not likely that they would allow
Japan TO acquire the iremeu-
dous influence which II would
gain by dividing China and virtually
assuming supremacy Of the whole.
Whatever changes the war may bring
about, It l., therefore, not likely that
the Monaghan EN- pire Vt thls time will