Daily Kennebec journal., 1898-12-23
John W. Bookwalter Of Ohio Tell what III
Saw Through Cars Domains.

London, Dec. 13-John w. Bookwal-
ter of Ohio, who has just returned from
a three months journey through Rus
sla, told the correspondent of The AS
sociated Press in an interview, today
that he enjoyed unusual facilities fol-
observing what is going on in thai
country. He travelled 1900 miles &c
the terminus of the Trans Siberian
Railway, to the end of the line reach
ing the frontier of Afghanistan All to
the end of the one penetrating China
through Manchuria. All these are now
practically completed.
Everywhere l found,' said Mr.
BookWalter. 1.-THE kindest and most
friendly feeling toward America and
Americans and heard many expressions
of satisfaction over Americas success
in our war with Spain. To this there
was not a single exception. Wherever
! went everything was thrown open 70
me simply because was an American.
Americas best open door to Central
Asia and China is through Russia. Al
ready all the locomotives and rolling
STOCK on the railways are of American
manufacture. Central Asia will in the
near future to the greatest market in
the world for markets of all kinds and
our obtaining the virtual monopoly OF
this market depends on our retaining
the friendship Russia now has for us.
Great surprise to the world is ID prepa.
ration in that part of the earth ana Il
VIII come, l believe, very soon. MOI
many years will elapse, before the
world Will see Russia, Engfapd and
China combining for the Partition OF
Asia. The very force of circumstances
viii bring this about sss
The alliance of England. Russia and
China, or two-thirds of the human
race. will be such an alliance and his
tory has never yet seen and ifFsJill be
one which will give peace to the MorId
FOR centuries. All it's interest will
make for peace and it will be able IA
dictate terms to the rest of the world.
America has very little to gainsbt
an open door to China That corntry
is an industrial one; and whateIF Il we
may now be able to sell to thel the
Chinese will soon be able to mad for
themselves. One day, and that lay is
near at hand, whatever ssChina4 4buys
from the rest 70 the world WI, reach
her through Russia and Ceiftl Asia,
Russia. in the last.three years. hsS;
done more to open the doors to China,
than England and allsthe rest of the
world has done in 50sYears. No one
who has not seen it wifi Ibis own eyes
can have the faintest conception II,
what Russia has done arR is still doin.
IN Central Asia. | havs FavelIed owe,
1900 miles Of railway Which she 3ha.
built from the Caspiantsea to Tash-
kend. in Turkeystand overR branch OF
thin line, which runs to the northern
fronier of India, over another branch
which goes to Merv to the border OF
Afghanistan. This last branch was not
completed when I was there, but it will
open to traffic, next week. There are
also Russian lines all along the Pers-
ran fronier and penetrating into that
country. either completed or rapidly
approaching completion. All the ywork
on these lines have been done by sol
dlers who, in their way, are not in
Russia as elsewhere, non producers.
"All this TREMENDOUS Asiatic railway
system is owned and operated by tn,
government. All the lines are admira
bly, built and splendidly equipped
Why. saw bridge across the ANU
daria. in Central Asia at point where
the river is three miles wide, that cost
2o,O0o.0OO roubles and is the greatest
piece of engineering work ever accom-
plished. There is nothing like it any
where else in the world, the celebrated
Forth bridge, near Edinburgh, not ex-
cepted.
Wherever l went l saw cities and