New-York tribune., 1901-10-21
NO WAR OVER COREA.
EX-SENATOR FAsSETT TELLS WHY RUS
STA AND JAPAN WILL NOT FIGHT
FOR THE HERMIT KINGDOM

Elmira, y. Y. Oct. 20 CspeciaD Former Senator
J. Sloat Fassett takes emphatic issue With the
views OF DIR. Nicholas Senn professor OF surgery
in the University OF Chicago. who in Associated
Press dispatch just sent predicts war between
Russia and Japan for the possession Of Corea.
Mr.. Fassett has extensive mining and other busi-
ness interests IN Corea. and has spent many
months there in developing them. He has made a
careful study Of the political situation 1t affects
Corea. and his views are the result OF thorough
knowledge of the existing conditions there. MI
fassett said 10 a Tribune correspondent to-day;
Every few months there is a renewal Of the the
japan over CoFea The facts are these briefly:
At present corea is independent She became in
powers at the conclusion of the Japan-China war.
She celebrated her independence by declaring her3
the Emperor took the title in order to illustrate
with the strong rulers - of Russia. OF China and
of Japan. the Interpretation OF the word emperor
Russs s0ye5s because thFPqgh the Repb Pc 4b
winter. Neither Vladvostok, Fort Arthur nor
Aew-Chwang is open in the winter. whereas Cen
Corea, are open Japan can hardly afford TO have
Russia IN possession of Corea. because from the
longing 70 Japan Is in sight from the coast 9 nt ana
of the main island of Japan. and a modern cannon
could almost reach Japan from the southern penin-
On the other hand. Russia hardly afford TO
have Japan possess Corea because it would bring bring
Japan to the Yalu River and TO the very borders
OF ManchuTfa. Neither power can afford TO nave
upon the protection of three thousand miles OF
seacoast. Neither wants the ether TO have It, The
likely to be that The poIiticai integrity and neu-
trality of Corea may be guaranteed by all the
powers interested in preserving the peace OF me
At the present time it is open question which
Influence is dominant in Corea. the Russian or me
reason of the Intimacy OF their trade relations.
sa rs fsbaTo pr bs-o ~ o are tbousards of Japanese
immigrants who settling along the coasts ard
by those who familiar with this invasion that
these Japanese immigrants are an Of them tTaihea
Increased the number of her vessels in Pachc
waters but she Is in no condition to have naval
collision at the present time with Japan. for the
japanese naval strength in the Pacific is over
whelmingly superior TO the strength OF Russia.
Besides that, Russia has no ADEQUATE base or sup
caught in the harbor OF Vladivostok it would be
a very difficult matter. with her ice crushers.
eot out Of the harbor there Is no proper place for
Them 10 go in case of war Ny swn judgment Is Is
Manchuria that she can afford to Hberate for ac-
has naval force In the Pacifc ocean approxi-
mately powerful as that of Japan. there will be
strong enough 10 begin war so far concerns
enough 10 begin war because of her poverty Both
nations need money and are borrowers IN the
them can afford to be caught mapping. and think
this fact explains the activity which I1r. Sem no
either in Russia or Japan II is very easy TO infeI
a rash man who would venture to predict with GER
tainty that that about 10 begin.
The situation may be summed up thus: Neither
Russia Janan afford TO have the other in
possession Of Corea: neither afford TO take
Corea herself. against the wishes of the other;
neither nation can afford TO have war with the
other; nation interested in maintaining the
peace Of the Orient can AFFORD to have these two
nations at with each other. War between
Russia and Japan. in all it's consequences is too
serious TO be entered upon lightly. for IL is i'm
possible that begun between Japan and
Russia should be confined to naval operations be-
tween those two governments. The first gun fired
IN such collision would simply be the beginning
OF bo1nbardment that would re Ferberate around
the entire Pacific coast. reaching into the Arabian
and Indian oceans, and embracing the entire Rus
sian and British frontiers in Asia. So think there
IS no danger of a serious collision at present.