The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-10-09
The Oriental War Menace.

The Oriental w ar Menace.
Negotiations are reported to be still
in progress at Toxic for the compost
ton Of the strained relations of Rus
STA and Japan over the distinct threat
Of the former to occupy Korea, but,
with the fleets Of Japan and Russia
in close proximity off the Korean coast
ready to fight, the prospects for peace
would seem to be slight. @sss
:: Russia has moved a considerable
force to the north bank of the Yalu
river, the boundary between Man
churia and Korea. China and Japan
for centuries have bickered over
Korea, each claiming the vassalage OF
that country and frequently fighting
over it, the war of 1894, In when
China was badly whipped, having
transferred the suzerainty Of Korea TO
japan. This settlement was broken
up by Russia, aided by Germany ana
France, and Japan has since been IN
a state of suppressed rage against
Russia, especially since that predatory
mower has reached out her hand and
taken possession of Manchuria and
extensively marched her troops down
to the Yalu river, with no disguise or
hostile intention. In 1886 Russia made
an aggressive movement to occupy
Port Lazereff, on the eastern shore
of Korea, for a naval port, but Great
Britain then scared her off by occu-
| pying Port Hamilton, an island on
the south coast Of Korea, and Russia
abandoned her purpose for the time
being. The Japs compelled the Korean
government to open trading ports 10
them and they hold to-day the bulk
of the Korean trade with speclal
privileges which they are not Wiling
to give up to Russia or any other
power. Japan has, In view OF her ad-
vantages, keenly watched Chinese and
Russian movements in this quarter. A
Chinese occupation Of Korea Woulu
| be a menace to Japanese interests ana
| independence, and now that the sChl-
nese menace has been removed, the
Russian occupation Of Korea would be
to japan a declaration of war without
any other formalities, and the temper
of the Japanese public Is volcano
enough to. make a warlike move
against Russia most popular. If the
, Japanese fleet is in such close propln'
: guilty to the Russian fleet as repre-
scented. off the Korean coast, the ex'
pected rather than the unexpected
thing will happen, most probably.
n Russia's original aim was to ge
!. down to the open waters of the YelloV
sea. after she found that Vlad1vostocl
2 was troubled with ice for some month
; during the year. By her predalor
;. COUP during the Boxer rebellion II
China she succeeded in getting dow
2 to Port Arthur, one Of the finest port
Q of the yellow sea, and, as Adam FAC
- the "bear who walks like a man,
y has laid her paws over the Chimes
e province Of Manchuria and is rapldl
2 converting it into a Russian province
8 and will retain it If the powers inter
y ested in China do not care to give ne
70 a sharp warning. The extension OF IN
Russian program to the acqulsltlo
4 Of Korea is but another instance
10 the devilish greed of the st. Peters
burg landgrabbers, who are trying
carry out the OI1Sl1ldl oCoA6ll " 49,
: Siberian railway, and, altho the req
tive strength of the Northern Bee
.. and, the plucky little empire in TT
- land of the morning CALM is emo
- mously disproportionate on paper, tt
~ Japs have already shown an .aptne
~ for using the novel machinery of mo-
=, ern warfare, and strategic ability -
a. A. high order, which will compensa
" for the supposed Russian advantag
~ if the two come to blows. -
NC 1t is noticeable that, during all tn
gu warlike talk between Russia and J
III pan, not a word has been said abo
ss referring the dispute to the arbitr
'sI ton tribunal at The Hague, which w
IL established on the original suggestl
III Of the Russian car, who was wide
n proclaimed the "apostle of peace
Ivy cterization which has new
70 fitted him nor any other car OF RI
tie STA, and fits not a crowned head
N Europe to-day. The peace of Euro
OF to-day is maintained simply by t
er- continued preparation of the pow'
oie for war. RI "