Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1901-11-13
JAPAN AND RUSSIA.
Nov York Tribune. [

lNtW lDIh I IlDuItsl
The remark is again made by quail
fed observers that Japan Is preparing
Tor war with Russia. II Is probably
lrue, as II has hitherto been true. II
does not necessarily mean that war Is
inevitable or near at hand. France
and Germany have been preparing Tor
war with each other Tor the last thirty
years. but tney are today turther from
actual war than at any other time in
all that period. II Is necessary Tor ia.
pan to be in n constant state of prep
aration for war with Russia. But the
more complete her preparation is the
less is the danger Of war. Russia new
ei resorts to war with a strong and
prepared power when 1t is possible to
avoid Ii. Her victories and conquests
nave been those OF diplomacy and in
trigue rather than OF Dattie, and In
such ways will she doubtless endeav'
or to attain her ends In China ana
Corea. and she will not tight Japan II
lighting can be avoided.
A noteworthy example of Russia 5
methods Is afforded by the case oil
Manchuria. When Russia proposed tc
emma the famous Manchurian agree
ment. which was to cede MaDcnuri0
! % Russia and to establish Il Russian
Irotectorate over more than hall OF
the Chinese empire. and began taking
steps to coerce China into accepting
| 1t Japan demonstrated in no uncertain
terms, and insisted that she must
have voice in any partitioning OF the
Chinese empire which might be under
taken. To this Russia replied In a
note which was Cnaracteristically
suave and courteous, but which. never
theless, intimated pretty plainly that
what Russia did in CHINA Was none
Of Japan's business. That came dan
gerously near to causing open trouble
But the Japanese Government con
tIolled Its temper. and began the prep
aration of a retOrt as courteous and
certainly as forcible as the Russian
note, to the effect that Japan meant
To make the fate of China very muct
her business. That second message
was not sent, however, Tor the reason
that Russia. learning what Its purpor
would be, abandoned her eXtraordinar!
claims and let the Manchurian agree
ment drop
In fact, however, Russia Is practical
ly enforcing the Manekurian agree
ment, at least in Manchuria itself
That province Is now substantially ,
part of the Russian empire. ltussi;
has closed its treaty ports and has for
hidden the entrance of Americans o
other foreigners, and in nearly all re
slects Is acting as though the Man
churian agreement had Deen signed In
stead Of being dropped; and the iates
re port Is that she is reviving for lorna
signature the same old agreement III
der a slightly different guise. Japa
sees all this. She remembers, toe
that at the close of her own war wit
China she proposed to retain posses
sion OF small bit OF Manchuria an
that Russia strenuously objected, d.
c!aring that at all odds the territorif
!. integrity of the Chinese empire on tn
: mainland must be preserved. Japa
. h. now asking by what right Russl
, now does the very thing, only on
much larger SCALE which Japan wa
: forbidden to do, That is what el
|. RACES Japan and causes her to prepar
. for war with the utmost zeal. Sh
q sees that she was compelled TO retir
n from and to relinquish her iawil
4 sPoils of war, not that China migt
e be saved from spoliation, but thi
these selfsame.spOils might be seize
by Russia.