The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-10-28

their natural existence, but do you really. think that Japan would go more than a thousand miles from Tokto. her capital, sacrifice thousands of lives and expend millions of treasure, merely for the philanthropic purpose of restoring Manchuria to China? It is true Japan has declared that she would do this, but does any one really believe 1t? The willy secretive. obsequious Jap. who says one thing, while he means another, has not a very savory reputation for truth at best, and in this case, when. the known desire Is to acquire territo- ry, his statement that the sole purpose in the war Is to drive the Russians out and restore Manchuria to China may be safely discarded as altogether incon- sistent with her action Tn settling with China. It Is inconsistent with the his- tory of almost every nation of which we have any record.
 - Taking into consideration the great distance of European Russia from the seat of war and the difficulties. of ob- taining supplies. I had thought up to this time, the news was received that the Russian gunboats had fired on a few unprotected British fishermen that the war could not have any other end- ing than in the complete victory of Russia. The Russian soldier may be ignorant and a good deal of a serf, but he can and will fight and while he may not be the equal, as soldier, of the educated and supercilious Jap, yet it seemed to me 1t could only be. ques- tion of time. when Russia. with her one hundred and thirty millions of people, was bound to win in the contest with Japan. with her forty-four millions. l cannot understand the wanton cruelty of killing few fishermen by cannon shot from gun boats except on the hypothesis that England is willing to come to the rescue of Russia In her war with Japan and by declaring war against her. give her an excuse for making peace with Japan. Edward would no doubt like to have an excuse for coming to the aid, of his brother monarch and assist him in turning the Manchurian bull loose-either this, or Russia Is bent on provoking England to go to war with her and thus furnish an excuse for giving up the fight with Japan~-Russia Is not making such a success of the war with Japan as to lead to much hope that she can success fully fight Japan and England at the same time. The attempt to draw Eng land, Russia's old enemy in Asia, Into the fight was attempted some months ago when British ships were seized in the Red Sea, but the English people were not suff1ciently wrought up over the incident and the storm was allowed to blow over Now they are aroused, their countrymen have been killed, their flag has been insulted and that by a deliberate act. If she will not fight for this, then she abandons for ever her uniform course of protectir g and defending her subjejcts wherever they may be. This theory may not be correct. but otherwise I cannot conceive of an excuse for such a cowardly and inhuman act so base and cruel that even a drunken Russian sailor should be ashamed of 1t. Japan and Russia are fighting on Chinese soil and they are fighting for Chinese territory. Right and national existence play no part with either.y It is simply a war of aggression and conquest on the part of both nations. Russia is in possession of Manchuria and determined to keep it. Japan wants 1t and Is determined to have it and SO they proceed to kill each other to settle the question.
 fail to see where much sympathy is invoked, except for China. who is bound to lose. whichever side wins.
 Alexander Troy.