Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1898-01-05
JAPAN is AROUSED.
Papers Say Nations Honor is at Stake
To Stop Aggression.

Washington, D. c.. Dec. 31.-A high
state of public feeling in Japan over the
complications of the far East, centering
in China, is shown by the last press ad-
vices received here from Japan. That
the government itself had an eye to the
gravity of the question is shown by a
statement of the prime minister made IN
the course of a reply to delegation. lie
said: with affairs tending to danger
Gus developments as is now the case III the
East, we shall not hesitate to ask the diet
for 3O,OOO,OOO or even 4O,OOO,OOo yen 1t
necessary"
This was only a short time before the
premier was forced to resign because Of
the public feeling that the cabinet was
too weak to deal with the descent OF the
European power upon China and the prob
able ACKNOWLEDGMENT of the latter country.
Scathing Arraignment of Germany.
The Jill Shimpo, the most influential
paper in Japan, contained a scathlng ar
raignment of Germany's course, declar-
ing the occupation of Kiao Chou shows
that the laws an tenetS of lnterna-
tional morality have ceased to be any
thing more than specious pretense by
European powers, and that the rule by
which their conduct is really regulated
is 1.-The flesh of the weak is the food of
the strong"
After declaring that Germany has
luGOWu OIL the uldSh, anu has IdhSA InC
lead of Western powers in greedy
struggle to devour China, the paper adds
as to the attitude of Japan: ''The con-
fiagration is on the other side of the
river, but the river is a narrow one and
the sparks may easily fly across. The
lesson for Japan is that a country's Sc
curity depends solely upon It's strength
to resist aggression, and that aggression
has come almost to her own gates. It
will not suffice that she should be mere
ly on the defensive. To preserve what
one has already, it is sometimes neces-
sary to add more. A crisis in the Orient
now confronts Japan, and her undivided
strength must be devoted to guarding
against the perils that menace her.
The Nichi Nichi Shimbun takes a sim
liar view, declaring that it is part of the
plan of encrOachment of European nations
upon the East 1t adds: Japan has
the greatest interest at stake in these
things, and the japanese foreign Office
should lose no time in obtaining from Ger
many clear expose Of her purpose"
The Kokumin Shimbun says that Ger
many's action is a sequel to the three
powers PRUSSIA, Germany and France)
interference with Japan's holding Port
Arthur, after having taken that fortress,
and that as these powers are again in
collision, Japan must diligently prepare
herself for emergency.
The Nippon says the crisis calls for
resolute foreign policy by Japan and ayers
that nothing tends to impair amity more
than tame submission to insult and wrong.
The course of Germany is arralgned as
fragrant violation of international law.
The Chuo Shimbun declares that the
time for the partition of the Chinese
empire has arrived, and adds: what
shall Japan do? Shall she join in the
scramble for pieces OF the doomed state,
or shall she oppose partition? In such
a crisis-thc Ike IF which has not oc-
Cured since the restoration-the portfolio
of foreign affairs is in the hands of a
man in whom the nation has no conf
dence"
The Toxic Shimpou takes the radical
position that it is Japan's duty to sue
cor China at this juncture, on the ground
that the boosted civilization and Chris
tanity of the Western world is slowly
trampling down right and justice in it's
descent upon the Orient.
Aside from the excited discussion of
the problem in China, the japanese press
is mainly concerned in the cOuntry's ex-
tensive naval and military development.
The expenditures on armament eXpan-
and next year 63,250,0OO yen.
Brilliant field maneuvers have been ex-
ecuted by the two army corps of the
north and the south, in the presence of
many foreign diplomats and military ex-
perts. The battleship Yashima has just
arrived from the English shipyards. She
is the second of the big battleships added
to Japans new navy, the first being the
Fugi. They were sister ships of 12,517
tons displacement, each of 20 knots
speed. in armament and general appear
ance much like the United States battle
ship Indiana. The Yashima is the larg-
est warship that ever passed the Suez
canal and it was found necessary to I'M
ship the heavy guns and take off some
of the outer armor to get her through the
canal.