The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1901-03-16

been put into circulation concerning
this new phase Of the Chinese problem,
According to one story Great Britain
has taken the lead in protesting against
the action of Russia and has sought
the aid Of the United states Another
attributes leadership in the protest to
Germany. Some have said the United
States has agreed 10 oppose Russia,
and some that no such agreement has
been made or will be made. These va
rious reports are not only interesting
but instructive They make clear to
the public the fact ihl, something is
going wrong in the concert but that
no outsider knows exactly what il is.
From reports derived from sources
outside Of diplomatic channels it APP
pears it is now too late for the powers
to protest against Russian oc-
cuna don Of Manchur,a, They might as
We'll protest against American occu-
patton of the Philippines or British
occupation Of Egypt, The time when a
protest might have been available is
past and gone. What is sometimes
called manifest destiny and sometimes
divine providence" has conducted the
armies Of Russia into that province Of
China, They cannot now b. driven out
except by war. and, Of course. there
will be no war on that issue, 1t will
be easier for Germany and Great Brit
ain to atone Tor Russia's wrong by fol-
lowing the example and taking a prov
ince or TWO themselves.
The sudden splu,ter over the Man
churian question is a striking illustra-
ton Of the close similarity between the
movements Of diplomacy and the move
ments Of a snail The newspapers Of
all parts of the civilized world have
been publishing notices Of the advance
of Russia and her encroachments upon
China ever since the close Of the war
between China and Japan The move
ment upon Manchuria has been noted
time and again. British travellers and
German travellers have repeatedly pub
lished their observations to the world
and have kept the reading public we'll
advised of what was going on. Conse-
ouentlv it is somewhat surprising to
learn that at this late day the diplo-
matists have begun TO get disturbed.
Dispatches from Berlin recently an
nounced that a special correspondent
of tn, Tageblatt has reported TO that
paper that throughout Mongolia Rus
sian flags are everywhere seen; that
Russian generals in their official orders
refer to the country as a part of Rus
sian territory; and he adds that Man
churia is also virtually an integral part
of Russia. Some time ago it was an
nOunced that the Moscow Gazette had
openly advocated the establishment of
a permanent Russian administration"
throughout Manchuria, and in doing
so had said: At present We are merely
camping there; We are forced TO incur
expense without compensation and
without being able to rescue the inhabi-
tants from distress and Generalization.
Vet the welfare Of Manchuria would be
a natural consequence Of a properly or
ganized Russian administration. which
would at the same time relieve the
treasury from the present enormous
expenditure. The necessity Of the per-
maneht settlement of the Manchurian
question has now become urgent. We
repeat that the more the Chinese prob
lem is confused by the intrigues Of the
European powers and Of the imperial
court the more necessary for us is
the speedy solution Of the Manchurian
question"
With all those facts before the public
there is not likely to be much excite
ment over the reports Of diplomatic
disturbance. 1t is too late to protest
against the virtual annexation of Man
churia to the Russian empire. The
bear has that province within his hug,
and nothing but a knife-thrust to the
heart will ever make him turn loose.
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WITH THE