St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-01-21
JAPAN ENTHUSED.
Even the Boys and Girls Practice
Military Drill.

Boston, Mass, Jan. 20.-The Ameri-
can Board of Foreign Missions. repre~
senting Congregational churches, know
ing the value of his opinion on the war
between China and Japan, has solicited
all expression of them from Rev. Henry
Blodgett. ID. D.. of Pekin, who has
spent four years in the service of the
board. and thirty years in Pekin. He
is now in this country. DR.. Blodgett
has responded to the request of the
board as follows: Among the common
people of China very little is known re-
garding either the causes of the war or
the facts occurring in its progress, and
the widest and most absurd rumOrs are
afloat. In Japan, OH the contrary, every
thing is published, and perhaps some
things which do not occur, in their
numerous newspapers, and their cities
and towns are Illuminated at every vic
tory over the Chinese. LII consequence
partly of this, the most intense enthuSi-
asm for the war prevails, even the boys
and the girls in thei schools practicing
military drill.
ION to Pekin' was the cry every
where as We passed through that coun-
lry Will the Japanese reach Pekin?
They have fought we'll and are very
brave. They have gained many victo-
ries; they have still great work before
them. In early January they hau not
taken Ningatu, which is the port of
Niu-Chang, and is more than 800 miles
by land northeast from Pekln. During
the winter an army corps marching
from its present position towards Pekin
must be cut off from communication
with the sea. Coolies from Japan must
IN
supplies for its commissaries. The
weather is cold the mercury
falling as low as TO zero, or even lower
than this. The fierce winds sweep
down from the north. aud the ground
occasionally is covered by a fall OF
SNOW. Already we hear Of the Japan
ese army suffering from the cold. 1t
would not be strange if the Chinese
soldiers, who are accustomed TO this
climate, should recover little courage
and offer serious resistance to the prog
reSS of the Japanese. The boast of
the japanese was that they should reach
Pekin in November. As things now
stand it seems improbable that they can
accomplish this during the winter.
"What has been written is on thessup-
position that the war is to be continued.
But in the meantime negotiations for
peace are going fOrWOrd. What will be
the result of these? We believe they
will be successful. The treaty powers
Gesire peace, and they Will use their ill
fiuence to secure it. China is ready for
peace, even Oh humiiating terms.
Japan. considering the honorable posi-
tion she has already attained, may con-
sent to give up her march on Pekln and
grant terms of peace such as can be
accepted. Yet these terms may be
r, 90 Hta,- n
the interests of European powers as
we'll as those OF China and Japan. The
great Siberian railway will be finished
in few years. Will Russia be satisfied
TO have VladivoStock, port which is
closed by ice four months each year,
as the terminus of this railway on the
Seaboard. Will she not wish for her
transcontinental railway port farther
south, which is open all the year: that
is to say, a port Of Corea. But such
port would make Russia leading
power OH the eastern borders of China
and in the Pacific ocean. Will Eng
land consent to such an arrangement?
Will France and Germany consent?
Will CnIna and Japan consent? Corea
is second Constantinople. The only
solution of the difficulty i'll regard to
her seems to be to give autonomy to the
nation, autonomy guaranteed by all the
powers. AS for Formosa, Great Britain
and France would both oppose the ces.
sion on that island to Japan, should
such proposal be made. ltis matter
of course that heavy war indemnity
should be sought by Japan, and to this
claim China will be compelled to agree.
sit is not improbable that very close
commercial and political relations will
spring up between China and Japan.
Already the productions of the soil and
the manufactures of either are found in
the markets of the other. In politics
and religion the changes will be made
more slowly. 1t is devoutly to be hoped
that the liberation of Christianity
which now exists will be perpetuated
and extended"
''What has been the effect of the war
upon missionary work, aud upon the
Chinese generally. and what is likely to
be the effect after the return of peace?'
For the most part missionaries have
remained in their places. In Pekin
and elsewhere throughout the land.
missionary work is carried forward
without obstruction. Thus far the
missionaries of the seven stations OF the
American board in North China have
continued at their posts. engaged in
their usual labors. When peace re-
turns it is not unlikely that the seed
sown will yield rich harvest"