Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1903-11-14
"LITTLE JAPAN"

Under the above caption Gunton's
Magazine for November presents an
article dealing with the relative fight
ing strength of Japan and Russia. Set
ting forth as it does the exact condi-
tions that exist in the two countries,
it will be of interest to many Ameri-
cans in view of the strained relations
between those two countries in Man
churia. Nothing reveals more clearly
the ignorance OF the western press con-
corning the Orient" says the writer,
than the continual representation of
Japan as a small and weak country"
The writer refers to this conception
Of the little island country as entirely
erroneous. He points to the history
of the conquerors OF the Asiatic peo-
pies as evidence of their prowess in
war. He says:
"The memory of the conquest Of Eu-
rope by Asiatic armies should still be
fresh enough in the historic conscious
ness to make such conception ridic-
ulous. Asiatic tribes swept over Eu-
rope from all sides-the Arab and Per-
| sian from the west, the Hun from the
east. and the Osmanli from the south
| They not only conquered Europe but
maintained themselves in spite Of the
united strength Of Christendom. The
Osmanli still holds Constantinople, and
! the Tartar still holds Russia In fact
! it is the Tartar that is now after his
conquests and transformation in Rus
| STA, who is now turning his face back
to the east and seeking the conquest
4 of India, China, Korea and Japan"
In spite of all these things the writer
points out that the western people
! still hold the orientals as not wor
I thy of serious regard, even on the
verge of a war that may prove one OF
the most important struggles in his
/ tory. Contrary to this belief is the
one that conceives the Russian govern
/ ment as irresistible, that when it seek!
to advance, Japan will be crushed will
4 blow In support OF ms contention
4 that such is not the case the writer
4 calls TO mind the fact that Japan ha'
never been beaten in war. That NJ
foreign people have for any length 0
) time held any Japanese territory. HI
also brings out the historic fact tina
: the very hordes led by Genghis Khal
in triumph against Russia and centra
Europe and which overthrow Persia
India, Russia and Hungary were easiI
beaten by the Japanese warriors
: 1t is contendeu by some that tn
Japanese people never fought seriou
war with a white people and in sue
contest they would be an unknow
quantity. The writer in Gunton'
: says: 1T may be said with equs
! truth that Russia has never faced tn
5 Japanese in war and that therefor
; the Russians in conflict with tn
! Japanest are an unknown quantity
i He indicates that there is an abunt
ance of material on which to estimat
the strength of these two peoples an
= offers the following general compar
sons:
I'm the first place the Japanese be;
the hordes that conquered Russia.
! the second place the japanese in the
: conflict with China in 1894 prove
. themselves superior to the Chinese
= a greater degree than the Russians (
: any other European soldiery prove
:. themselves superior to the Chinese
!. any conflict in history. Again in Il
a march on Pekin the Japanese soldie
= marched and fought side by side wi
the picked soldiery OF Europe al
!, America. In that experience thu
!. showed themselves superior
II American and European troops in G
d cry respect
A. But outside these general conpa
y sons it Is shown that the Japane
A. are not a weak people. There a
It 10000 square miles in the main
,e lands that compose the japanese e
IS pire with inhabitants numbered at
ID 0O0, 900 about 10.000,000 more than a
n. to be found in Great Britain. 1t also h
ct an advantage by being an island real
at Its navy, superior to that OF Russ