The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-10-21


vanced if it were desired to refuse the
application, and If Russia fails in New
York, as she has in three European capt.
tails, the fact will be heavy with signifi-
canoe.
THE POSSIBILITY OF RUSSIAN DOM
NATION IN CHINA
There is no longer any doubt as to
the. future political status of the prov
ince of Manchuria. Some four or five
months ago an army of one hundred and
fifty thousand Russians crossed the
Amar river, and by rapid marches and
eonquests placed that province under the
military control of the ear A glance
province to extend nearly a thousand
miles from east to west, and this area
covers for nearly the entire length the
route of the newly-built Siberian rail-
way. This enterprise, to be-of any
efficiency to its builders, must run
through Russian territory.
In spite of the recent assertion of her
diplomats to the contrary, that Russia
will never rehnctuish the advantage the
fortunes of war have placed in her
hands, goes without saying. That the
present is the most opportune time for
further advance Of her frontier in Asia
is almost self-evident. The jealousy. of
France and Germany can be depended
upon to prevent movement for a time
on the part of either of these countries
in Southern China. England's hands
are firmly tied in South Africa The
exiseneies. of political campaign COM
pei President Mckinley to- move the
American army from China to the Phil
ippines, and to defer for the. present
his policy of benevolent assimilation
as to the former country Now if ever
is the time fer the Russian Bear to
move his paw enc step farther along the
path of Asiatic conquest. Russian
craftsmanship will not hesitate to take
advantage of the opportunity offered.
and to strengthen military occupation by
political control. The next six months
will place the boundary between Russian
and Chinese territory within a days
march of Pekin.
The effect of the ultimate domination
of China by Russian influence is one
we'll worth the careful attention of every
thinking Anglo-Saxon. Before the an
nexation of Manchuria the area of the
Russian empire was eight and one-haf
million square miles, with a population
of about one hundred and thirty millions
The annexation of Manchuria adds a pop
ulation of twenty millions. The total
establishment of the army of Russia on
peace basis is nine hundred thousand
men, on a war basis it is five million
mel. The population of China, exclu-
sive of Indo-China is four hundred mil
lions. The combined population of Rus
STA and China makes a grand total of
five hundred and thirty millions, or a
little more than ene-thfrd of the eaPth's
inha htants. 1t is safe to say that the
military force which the two countries,
If united, could place in the field would
exceed twenty millions.
Poultney Blgelow in. speaking of the
ability of Chinese to fight says: eff the
Chinese as soldiers have ever acted as
towards We may fairly conclude that the
average European soldier would have
acted very badly under equally democrat
Zincr
upon the subject agree that it is only
the lack Of the proper conditions of
food, drill and leadership that makes the
Chinaman a poor soldier. Does Russia
case she secures control in China? In
the past the ear has refrained from re-
cruiting foreigners into his service, per-
haps for the reason that he has always
had plenty of his own virile Cossack
stock from which to draw. Some time
he may need to utilize the twenty-million
Manchurians whom he has annexed, to-
gether with other millions over whom
he may later become ruler. Can he
do so? In an affirmative answer to this
question lies a great menace to Western
civilization.
While other nations have been sending
not overly wise missionaries to China
the Russians have been placing there
trained diplomats who have spared no eff
fort to gain complete knowledge of
Chinese character and to bring Chinese
sentiment SO far as possible into sym
pathy with Russian ideals and metho Is,
without attempting to disturb in any
way the ancient religious beliefs of the
people. This. together with the fact
that there are natural traits common TO
both Russians and Chinese, but possessed
in common by the Chinese and No other
people make it more than probable that
Russia once in power in China will have
10 difficulty in overcoming the Chinese
contempt fer everything foreign and in
utilizing the vast military forces which
viii be placed at her disposal
How should she 1iaiioas1s AZ the West