Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-04-30
Unite with Russia in China7

country to have Russia prominent i'm
the affairs of Asia than to have any
ether country OF Europe at the front
there. The position taken by this
government has been, Internationally
aga inst the partition OF Clsna and by
this position it will stand as long as
there is n possibility OF keeping that
vast and helpless old empire intact.
Nevertheless there has becn-a feeling.
| both in commercial and diplomatic cir
Cles, that if any of the nations now
Contcnd.nC for supremacy in the East
| is to gain an advantage. it would be
better for American interests that that
power should be Russia, which. for
generations. with answering purpose
has been pushing further into Asia.
most radical view. from source
which is certain to command attcn-
| ton. is taken by Alexander II. Ford in
the Iron Age. published in New York.
He holds that the situation is tending
to make a Russian American alliance a
probability of the future. and even
strongly advocates this for the mutual
advantage of the two countries as well
IS for the discontinue Of the other
powers of Europe.
In the course of his article Mr. Ford
gives some cogcnt reasons for the mu-
tuality of interests possessed by the
countries. From the start, he says.
Russia has been encouraging our COM
mcrcial conquest of Asiatic regions.
Russia has as yet no ambitions in the
world of manufacture and trade. Her
single aim is to make territorial con-
quest such as will extend her dominion
from one ocean to the other. Up to this
| time she has pioneered and developed
Chinese markets for American produc-
tons. Prior to the troubles in China
fully 60 per cent Of our exports to
China were being handled through
Manchuria and up to Siberia, while
millions of dollars worth of our manu-
features. ostensibly exported to Japan,
found their way to Rusisa's growing
sphere of influence in Asia"
Russia says Mr.. Ford, was
marching triumphantly on. making
silent territorial conquest with her
cver-advancing railways and village
outposts, which she first built and then
bn 1at IN hn far nf
Black sea district. Called upon to sup
ply great quantities of machinery and
building material, America followed
where Russia led. quickly making
thorough and complete commercial
conquest of the new territory. On
the trans-Sibcrian railroad wooden
placed by modern American steel
structures. -four and canned goods
flooded the neutrality-suspicious. the
triumph was complete. In Port Arthur
the finest business buildings belonged
to American firms. and the same state
mcnt applies to Nladivostok. Here,
make, and tramp steamers We're con-
tinuously unloading American rails
and Orders for the construction of the
Chinese Eastern Railroad. while on the
rev 100000 granite pier lay great
mountains of American railroad ma
terial destined for Strcytensk. from
| which point the trans Siberian road
was being built westward from the
| naNigable waters of the Amur. Every
where inland American drummers and
commercial agents We're spreading
abroad the knowledge of our superior
| ity of the finished material. During
my stay. an American was made pres
ident of the newly established College
of Oriental Languages. and school
| established for over one hundred stu
dents who desired to become
quainted with the English language.
while in America. in anticipation of the
completion of the great railway. j. j.
Hill was building two of the largest
! steamships Ill tile Wol III u Dt uscu III
the service between the two coun-
tries"
| We are inclined to think that Mr..
Ford's suggestion of an alliance of
Russia and this. country for the con-
quest of Characteristic for territory
and the United States for trade-is too
radical for serious consideration. Such
a thing is in violation of our settled
national policy. And yet it is well to
understand the situation and to appre-
ciatc what Russia has done for us by
encouraging and leading the way for
| our trade in the northern part of Asia.
At present Russia is too intent upon
| territorial acquisition to use her energy
otherwise and SO she is large buyer
abroad. With any other power of
Europe holding advantage in Asia our
trade would surely suffer.
a correspond Of the Boston Journal
calls attention to the pretty custom
| inaugurated. Il year ago. by some OF