Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1894-10-11
Japan and China.

The struggle between japan ant
China is a contest between civilization
and standardization - between thu
nineteenth century and the middle
ages.
About forty years ago Commodor,
Perry neg otiated treaty with Japal
which resulted in Christianizing an,
civilizing that country. The Japanes
carried their newly adopted ideas int
Corea, and in short time brought he
people into contact with western civil
ization. The Chinese, however, dis
puted the ascendancy of the Japanese
and tacitly agreed to give Russia /,
coaling station on the northern coas
of Corea. This was in direct opposi
ton to the interests of England. and i
was soon understood that when tn.
long-expected conflict between tha
country and Russia should come about
England would not hesitate to seize
the Russian seaport in Corea. This
would, of course, make the Japan sea
a battlefield for the rival powers and
| their allies, and Japan and Cores
would be the sufferers.
The Japanese statesmen believe thai
it is their best policy to secure Corea's
independence. Japan and Corea hold
the key of the north China sea and the
Japan sea. Fortify them properly. and
Europe cannot prevail against them.
This is why Japan for twenty-five
years past has been working for Corean
independence.
Forty years ago China and Japan
were on the same level. For thous-
ands of years they had been under the
domination of practically the same re-
ligion, customs and policies. II China
barred out foreign nations with her
great wall on one side and the sea on
the other, Japan did the same thing
in different way. At that time the
greatest statesman in China was the
viceroy. Ii Hung Chang. This nan
was patriotic and far-seeing. He knew
that it was only a question of time
when the civilization of the west would
overwhelm the east and he made ev-
cry possible effort to prepare China
for the change. He took steps to
equip the Chinese army and navy with
every modern improvement. During
his administration the English gener-
al, Gordon, who met with such sad
fate in Africa, drilled the Chinese
armies and made them more efficient
soldiers than they had ever been be-
fore. He did more. He encouraged
the foreigners who desired to intro
duce the appliances of western civili-
zation in China, and it was due to his
practical judgment and foresight that
the first railroads were constructed.
Such reformers always have ene-
mics, and before Lii Hung Chang
reached middle age a strong faction
was organized against him. Even
some of the members of the royal
family, who hoped in time to reach the
throne, conspired for his overthrow.
His recent degradation by the emper-
or is not surprising. He was at least
a century in advance of his country
men, and he has met the fate of other
great men who have been too far
ahead of their age. There are 4OO.-
100000 Chinese. but only one Ii
Hung Chang. Doubtless his entire
following would not number more than
a few thousand. So at critical per-
lod he is sacrificed, because the mill
tary and naval resources of his coun-
try are not equal to those of Japan.
And yet it is well-known fact that
for twenty-five years he has devoted
all of his energies to equipping China
for the conflict which he saw was ine-
vitable. If he had been supported by
the government and the people, China
would now be able to dispose of Japan
witho out any trouble.
A glance at the map shows that
China is vast territory, with almost
every variety of climate and resources.
Japan is comparatively a mere speck
on the map, with only 10000, 900 in
habitants. But the Japanese, after
Commodore Perry's visit, and after
their civil war embraced western CIV
ilization as whole. They even gave
up the religion of their fathers and ac-
cepted Chriatianity.
Since that time the Japanese have
made rapid progress. They have rail-
roads, newspapers, colleges. the latest
inventions. and everything that makes
Europe and America strong and ag-
gressive in peace and in war.
brains win the long rum" said
Wendell Philips in one of his famous
speeches, and he never said truer
thing. The educated intelligence of
Japan is now winning victory over
the dense ignorance and apathy OF
China. If Europe does not intervene,
it goes without saying that the Japan
ese will win. The Chinese have