The age-herald., 1899-08-05
EQUILIBRIUM IN
 THE FAR EAST

nature to attain a balance of force, or equilibrium, so in the world of international politics, intrigues and threats and rumors of war but mark the progress toward sta- bility and balance of power.
 The war Japan forced upon China for the sake of Corea broke up finally the old order in the Far East. It proclaimed the rise of a new power, but it also signaled the impo- tence of the worlds most ancient empire. This rise and fall were enough of itself to set the balance swinging; but when Europe intruded her dictation into the confusion in the shape of utimatum by Russia, Ger many and France and forced upon the new island power a self-denying ordinance it be- came manifest that China was mere pud- ding reserved for the strongest.
 There followed, as all the world knowns, the sudden advance by Russia to Port Ar thur and the seizure of Manchuria. Then came the kaisers coup by which Germany effected lodgment in Shan-Tung. To re- dress The balance, or in expressive Chinese phraseology, ito save her face" England stepped into Wei-Hai-W Wei as the Japanese went out, while on the borders of Tonqutn France secured whatever fruit hung loosely on the imperial stem. Meanwhile and more important far, silent war was waging in Picking between the European ambassadors for influence, contracts, the control of GUS toms and taxation, and the monopoly of the privilege of reforming the rotten ad- ministrations. This diplomatic warfare ended illustrious careers, practically dispos- sessed the emperor of his throne, restored the dowager to power, chased overseas the educated young reformers, and did multi tude of secret things besides And all the while Russia was augmenting her battal- ions in Port Arthur and seeking to over awe the capital just across the border; England was assembling the mightiest fleet the Pacific had ever seen, and Japan was spending the war indemnity with feyersh haste upon new ships.
 At last out of the turmoil of intrigue and threat a new arrangement begins to ap- pear Russia, who loomed so terrifcally a short year ago. has pledged herself to Japan on the one hand and to England on
 the other. She has by treaty put limit to her desires. She stays out of Corea and she stops at the Great Wall She has been checked and she knows it. But yesterday
 
 has given assurances that she is satisfied.
 Furthermore, and most significant of all, Japanese statesmen are in Picking today
 negotiating for treaty under which Jap anese officers will do for the Chinese army
 what German officers have done for the Turkish army. Japan bids fair, in other
 words, to become the protector of China's
 weakness and the "coach" whose guidancs
 will teach the latter how to become strong.
 The incident marks the ebbing Of the
 Russian tide. It proves that the un-
 scrupulous diplomacy of Petersburg has been over-matched by the cunning and
 shrewdness of the mikado's ministers. For 200 years Constantinople has been the ob- jectve of Russian ambition But Russia is
 today further from the Bosporus than at the conclusion twenty-one years ago of the San Stefano treaty. Germany as well as
 England bars her from Stamboul. Picking
 is her new Constantinople, and when she
 forced Japan to recede from the Asiatic
 mainland it seemed as if she could grasp it when she chose.
 Japan receded She acknowledged the logic of superior force. But she has as. tutely waited on events; she hat silently played her game. With all thu moral weight of Great Britain behind her. Japan now openly espouses China's cause The island power will uphold the feeble, ness of her ancient foe. The islanders will drill her troops and reform her admi1.is, tration. With Englands help they mean to save China whole, to open up the ave. nues of commerce, to introduce civiiza. tion's machinery and to save for all the world what can be made the worlds great est market.
 Japan does not fear the Russian navy nor the German. Only the navies of Eng land and France can overmatch her; and when the latter is used against her the former will be for her. As for armies, Japan can today put from two to four hundred thousand trained troops on the Asiatic mainland. These can be re-en- forced by the new regiments of China And, as the new Japanese consul to Chi csgo recently observed, there is no Euro- pean power that transport a half-mil- lion men to the far east and sustain them there.
 10 sum up, RUSSIA HAS Dc6u c1eCkfnateQ. Japan, as the emssary of civilization and backed by all the power of England and probably of Germany well, will defend and reform China. Can Russia find an ally with whose help she may hope to thwart Japan's benevolent mentions? Wheref Not in Germany certainly, for Germany is the third commercial state of the world and 1t Is not to her interest to see sll the northern half of China become a Russian -closed preserve" Can France aid Russia If France could, is it likely she would? What did Russia do but lately when ssaar isbury ordered Marchand out of Fashoda? France already is considering that the Russian alliance is a game of heads I win. tails you 1ose.'
 The negotiations for the new treaty be- tween Japan and China mark turning point in the history of the world and in- to hat ihr;,,p bao