The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-09-05
Russia and Japan.

No student of current events can fall
to take interest in the nearing proba-
bility of a war between Japan and
Russia for the control of the neutral
seaports Of Asia; and, eventually. for
the mastery In Eastern politics. The
assertion of Chester Holcomb, our ex-
perienced secretary OF the Pekin Legal
tion, that actual hostilities may be eX-
pected at any time confirms the inter-
view lately had at Toxic by Colonel
John A. Cockerill OF the New York
Herald. with an eminent japanese dip
lomatist who, for prudential reasons.
insisted upon the concealment of his
name. In this interview, the cause of
the II ouble was assigned n.s an inevita-
BILE conflict of expanding interests and
ambitions. greatly heightened. so far
as Japan is concerned. by Russia's
treatment of that empire during its
war with China.
I'm the outset Of our war with
China" said the aforementioned
Japar ese dip,)matjst. ''the sympa-
the side of China that we had good rea-
son to believe that at some stage Of
the war she would interfere on behalf
Of China. IL was but natural TO sup
pose that in such event Russia would
be found on our side. We regarded
her as our friend in this quarrel, and
officially announced her to be such.
When she began reinforcing her squad
ron in these waters we supposed that
she as preparing to circumvent Eng
lana To oIr astonishment, 1t turned
out that she had secretly been intrigu-
ing against US. Her conduct was
treacherous not to say cowardly. Our
minister in st. Petersburg should have
known something of the Tartar game,
but not advising us. we went ahead at
ShtmonOseki and in the end were
robbed and Inundated" And very
naturally a nation that has been
robbed and humiliated" does not ex-
hibit marked love for the power that
did the robbing and the humiliating.
40 to results, the Japanese speaker
doubted his country's ability to cope
with Russia on Russian or neutral soil;
but on home ground, he assured Colo
mel Cockerill that the japanese are
confident of victory. The japanese
standing army is to be increased to
200, 900 men, all armed with repeating
rifles; and the Japanese navy trebled
In size. The great desire Of the Japan
ese. 1t appears, Is to retain the SYM
pathy Of foreign nations. Said the off,
cial before quoted:
When was In st. Petersburg two years
ego was told by a Russian diplomat that
Japan could not expand because the Chris
tian nations OF the earth could not afford
TO see heather power arise to force and
prominence and become an influence In
the worlds affairs. / presume that Rus
sia, In helping to keep japan out of her
herself with the idea that she is aiding
Christianity. The Christianity which
Russia maintains Is that which makes her
absolute car pope, and which scOurges
and stamps out all other Christian sects
and organizations. There is no place on
earth where there is so little religious toll
erance as in Russia today. In 1877, when
Russia made her cruel raid upon the Turk.
after intriguing to have Christians butch
war. she won great deal of sympathy
by her war cry Of "The cross against the
crescent" She Is doubtless prepared to
set up the cross against the tori of Japan
In her future aggression, but 1t strikes me
that the paganism Of Japan Is as good for
the world at large as is the so-called
Christianity Of the impeccab1e czar. The
theory Of the czar that he has apostolic
power Is no less heathenish than our faith
that an emperor is div!nely appointed to
rule us. II we Of Japan are demonstrate
ing that pagans can have good laws. con-
stltutiona1 government, newspapers. fine
educational systems, steamships, railways.
telegraphs, factories, armies, navies and
all that pertains to modern science, what
is Russia doing to demonstrate the ad-
vantawes Of Christianity
This point Is cleverly taken; and we
dare say. that as between the two
powers, American sympathy will favor
Japan, which II at once the smaller
and the younger. but by no means the
weaker nation.
The Carbondale Herald does not
concur in the opinion that as COM
pared with true American like Lin
coin, General Washington dlminishes
Into a minor character, The subject is
purely one OF personal Judgment.
There are no set rules by which his
tosio figures may b. rressured. Yet we
bs(ieve. with the profoundest respect
- yhe memory OF our noble first presi-