The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1895-09-03
TO FIGHT RUSSIA
Chester HOlcOmb, An Attache
Of the American Legation
at Peking
Says There Is Sure TO Be A
Conflict Between MikadO
and Gar.
Japan Strengthening Her Navy
and Russia Waiting For
A Good Excuse.

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 2.-CheStcl
Holcomb who has just returned from
China. after twenty -one wears servic,
in the American legation at Peking,
SAYS the recent massacre Is traceable tC
the result Of the recent China-Japanest
war.
AT the commencement Of the recent
war between China and Japan, said
he, lit was generally feared that the
lives of foreigners in China would be in
great danger as long as the war lasted
AS matter of fact, there was practically
no danger % long as the war lasted, and
it is only ts;S.s the hostilities ceased the
danger has commenced.
Reasons For the Massacres.
"In the first place, the great mass of
Chinese are disappointed with the result
of the war. and are taking revenge on
all the foreigners whom they can kill
with impunity.
In the second place the killing and
pillaging receives great encouragement
by reason of the depredatiOns committed
by hordes Of disbanded soldiers. all over
the country. The Chinese government
has peculiar method CT disposing of its
troops at the close of Il war. When the
soldiers are no longer needed, they are
discharged from service at the place
where they happened to be at
! the time. The fact that an
army may be several hundred
| or a Thousand miles away from home
when it is disbanded. and the fact that
| the soldiers may not possess any means
Of getting home does not interest the
| government in the least. The troops
a1e turned loose. and, to use an Ameri-
can expression, they have to beat their
way back to the place from whence they
came. That they should pillage and
commit depredations is therefore nat
urar to such people under such cOndi-
tionS, and tranquility will not reign III
China for some time to come.
Russi. and Japan Will Fight.
Mr. Holcomb says the most interesting
question at present outside of the
missionary massacres and the cholera, il
the approaching conflict between Rus
| sia and Japan.
That Japan and Russia will become
mixed up i'll IA dispute which will result
in war goes without saying, said he,
land the commencement OF actual hos
tilities is not far off. The japanese
have a big grievance against Russia and
Russia is preparing to make things
warm for the Japanese. was told very
frankly by Japanese officials who hold
high positions i'll the government that
Japan would live to rue the day when
she permitted herself to become mixed
up in a quarrel with China. 1t has
given Russia an opportunity she has
long waited for.
Narrowly Escaped Before.
"No one knows better than l how
narrowly Japan escaped "a war with
Russia when she got through with hel
war with China. The Japanese were
so incensed at Russia attitude in the
matter of the cession of LiaO Tung pen.
insula that the Japanese officials talked
seriously of engaging i'll a squabble with
Russia. was i'll Japan at the time and
heard it all A certain member of the
Japanese cabinet whose acquaintance
/ made when he was sent tC
Peking as the japanese minister
to China. said TO me at the
Needed Few More ships.
We have but one. and that we captured
| from tIt IL we Hdi but loui
ironclads or only three, we would defy
Russia
That is just what Russia wanted
them to do. Russia will yet 81 aggra
vate the Japanese that they will declare
war Then Russia will attempt to drive
the Japanese out of COrea where they
are now masters of the situation. The
japanese are debating affairs in Corea
for while the king still remains on the
thrcne he does nothing that counts in
authority. The fight between Russia
and Japan will be over Corea and it will
| Come inst as soon an Rnsaia finds thai