The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1895-04-19
MAKING HISTORY IN THE EAST.

The treaty between Japan and China.
which is intended to establish the results
of the recent war and cement Japan sue
tivcS of the two powers Immediately con
cerned. and 1t is said to be satisfactory to
them. The next question is whether the
treaty will he satisfactory to the other
powers whose ratification is necessary if
it is to stand Japan has fairly won her
victory and by all right is we'll entitled to
the reward She claims. \ part of this re-
ward. it may be assumed, will not he queS
toned. The independence of Korea was
the ostensibc object of the war, and all
the powers will agree to that The annex
alton of Formosa to Japan has also been
expected. 1t is a natural and proper piece
of territorial ACKNOWLEDGEMENT that will not
be disputed The money indemnity no
one will question, if the Japanese can col
lcct it. But the provision for Japans re-
tcntion of the conquered places on the
Chinese mainland. if ii is intended to be
permanent will be objected to by all the
European powers. and 50, no doubt, will
be the provision for an exclusive alliance.
offensive and defensive
The purpose Of the japanese is evidently
to plant themselves securely as the repre-
sentatives of the East and thus as the pro-
tectorS Of China, whose empire is in dan
ger of diSinte@ration and unable to main
tain a hulwark against the inroadS of the
West. Now this is precisely what the Eu-
ropean powers, with all their jealousies of
one another, will agree in opposing. They
have looked on while Japan destroyed the
Chinese armies content to have the en-
pre weakened. that their own advance
might be made the easier For Russia de
sizes more territory on the Pacific, Eng
land desires larger facilities of commerce
in the South. and the French colonies are
pressing toward on the Southwest They
have no notion of allowing Japan to go in
and help herself to Chinese territory and
establish there a military power that would
he able TO resist entertainments and en-
force its own commercial and military
policy
1t is reasonably certain, therefore, that
some of them at least will intervene in the
proposed settlement. Just as they inter
vened when Russia had beaten the Turks
and was apparently in position to die
tate her own terms. They were content
to have the Turks beaten. but not to have
Russia enjoy the fruits of her victory
The United States are not concerned in
this matter, except 50 far as our kindly re-
lations with Japan will naturally command
for her the friendly support of our plo-
matte influence. That the settlement of
the results of the war will he the subject
of international consideration. cannot. be
doubted. Whatever the immediate result
this war marks the beginning of far reach
ing changes in the history of Asia and in
the attitude of Eastern civilization toward
that of the entire West. 1t has already
opened questions that Japan cannot settle
alone, and interesting as is the news of the
signature of the treaty, it is quite unsafe
to assume that this is the end of the mat
ter We have only seen the first act of a
great historical drama-Phila Times