The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-05-06
RUSSIA IN MANCHUR1A.


BY ali who recognize the eminence of
Prince Kropctkin as a scientist he will
be readily absoived from any suspicion
of yielding his views as a geographer to
the necessities of his political position.
He is Of course a declared enemy OF
the government of the car, and has
made it plain that his hostility is no
mere passing condition of feeling.
Prince Kropotkin's article in the cur
rent Forum on "The Russians in Man
churia' assails the wisdom of Russia in
securing a foothold on the Pacific Dis
crssing the subject as a geographer he
makes it clear to the reader who has any
substantial knowledge on the subject
matter of his article that, without ac-
curing any great advantages, political
or territorial either immediate or pros
pective, Russia has involved herself in
almost certain warfare in the future by
the necessity of defending the line of the
s-Manchurian road
1t happens that Itropotkin is especially
qualified to pass on this question While
yet a young officer In the Cossack regi-
ment, thirty-six years ago. he carried
out the dangerous undertaking of cross
ing Manchuria, disguised as a merchant,
on tour of exploration for the benefit
of the Russian government starting
from almost the exact point at which
the trans-Manchurian railway now cross
es Russian territory. He bases his posi-
ton on the claim that the power which
holds the left bank of the Amur river,
mostly uninhabitable, and that portion of
the Pacific coast between the mouth Of
that river and Vladivostock, absolutely
uninhabitable. must establish and main
tain a connection between that section
and the trans-Baikal region through
Manchuria. In order to do this Russia
must establish her power over a vast
area which belongs to a different race,
her possession Of which will always be
disputed and which, for purposes of civ
ilization or trade, is worthless.
There has been no statement Of the
case against Russias position in Man
churia Yet made which possesses any
thing like the force or significance Of
Kropotkin's article. Whether regarded
from the standpoint of Muravieff's dream
Of United States of Russia reaching
across the Pacific to fraternize with the
United States of America, or from that
of the necessity of an open port for Rus
STA on the Pacific. the writer shows that
the Russian nation can never receive an
equivalent for the vast expense and risk
involved in the undertaking.
Enough has transpired within the past
twelve months to show that Russian
domination in Manchuria Will not be
peacefully suffered by other nations, nor
by the Manchus themselves T:.ere is
no trade, and, indeed, little save an arti
fetal military necessity, created by
Russia itself, for maintaining the con-
nection. The following paragraph, COM
ing after the fullest consideration bv the
writer of all the possible advantages of
the connection, states with characteristic
force the conclusion to which this
eminent Russian is driven, as a geog-
rapher, as to the false position which
Russia occupies in the Orient Prince
Kropotkin closes his article as follows:
And vet I cannot but repeat that the
interests pursued by Russian statesmen
III the East are the interests of a mill
tary state not those of the Russian ma
ton. If Russia should abandon ali her
possessions on the Pacific-with which
she cannot be connected otherwise than
by Keeping a military road across a
territory which will never be Russian
but is sure TO be more and more colo
nized by ChineSe-this abandonment
would spare 10 the nation enormous sac
rlllces; 1t would avoid the possibility Of
war entanglements in the East: and II
would only. strengthen the position of
RUSSIA against any possible invasion
from the East Fully granting the possi
hlllty OF military reformed China rusn-
ing some Gay, with its millions of men.
AGAINST the ArYanS in which case Rus
sja would he the first to support the
shock, it is not in the Amur region and
still less in Manchuria, but in Trans
1'alKalla, amidst thoroughly Russian
Pupulatlon that the first stand could be
made against that invasion"
From all recent indications it certain
ly has been made to appear. as claimed
by Kropctkln, that nothing short of
some amicahle and enduring agreeme Mt
among the nations concerned will eve,.
prevent a bloody resistance of the claims
winch Russia is now putting forward to
inc vast region west of the Amur river.