Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-02-02
pEsERET EVENING NEWS. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY ., 1904

eagerly perused by the reading public
1t seems to be a general impression
that a prelude is being played TO a
performance on the worlds stage OF
most spectacular character,
The Portland Oregonian quotes
Charles s. Osborn to the effect that the
business men OF Russia do not expect
war now. lie has been travelling In
the country for several months. and
had, II Is presumed, opportunities OF
sscortaining the views OF leading bust
noss men. Russia, he says, Is too poor
IN invite war at present, but she Is con-
iident of victory IN the end. According
20 Mr.. Osborn, Russlas design Is 10
absorb not only Manchura but also
Corea. in ASIA In Europe she will an
mex the Scandinavian peninsula. Rus
sia. he says, already has her eye on the
port OF Naervik, in Norway. the north
ern terminus Of the Swedish Norwegian
get Naervlk because the port IL open
most OF the year, He further points
out that Russia has pushed a railway
through the ns-Casplan region az
far as Merry, within $50 miles Of Herat,
on the frontier Of Afghanlstan, and she
Is now seeking to push railway
through Persia to the Arabian Sea-
When Russia finds herself firmly set
tied IN Manchurla and Corea, she could
threaten Pekin; she could threaten In.
Ola; she could threaten Persia; and by
that time Constantinople would become
hers without struggle Mr.. Osborne
thinks that 100 years hence Russia
viii be the only competitor of the
United States"
This Is a comprehensive plan for the
conquest Of the earth. II is but the
following out OF Gear Peters program,
to its logical conclusion. And the Won
der Is that the country can continue
this steady conquest while II Is suf-
fering from internal commissions and
poverty. 1t has been shown recently
that the Russian farmer IL under the
necessity Of making a living upon
smaller farms than any other European,
and upon land greatly impoverished by
lack OF fertilization and rational cult
walton. Thus, II is asserted, In Euro.
pean Russia, as whole, the average
Yield Of grain is only thirty-nine pools
u,iOi pounds) TO the decetine (2.7
acres); while In Italy II Is hfty-nye
pools; IN Austria, .sixty-eght; In Ger
many seventy-four; in France seventy.
five, In the United States eighty-One,
and In England 1872.
How the Russian farmer lives Is Illus.
trated IN the following figures quoted
by George KEENAN, In The outlook. lie
says the average peasant farmers fam
lily consists Of eight persons. Its an
nual gross revenue, from all sources.
amounts to s2l22O. OF this sum slO5.OS
In money and SlO712 in farm produce
at Its cash value, OF the cash receipts.
$3.50. or nearly one-half, goes to pay
taxes and rent for additional land.
leaving S562S IN cash for clothing, tea,
sugar, salt, oil, soap, agricultural impe-
lncnts, household furniture, ETC., for a
family of eight persons during a period
Of one year. Such a family. It is said,
spends annually 1884 for clothing; sl.S6
for tea and sugar Slsi for household
furnituIe Sl.2O for salt IS cents for
kerosene; 80 cents for soap, and cents
for articles Of personal comfort" II
is hardly necessary TO comment upon
the economic condition Of a rural popu-
lation In which the average family pays
$3.50 in taxes and rent. and is then
able to spend only 1884 year for
clothing, IS cents for lights, 80 cents for
soap and cents for articles OF per-
sonal comfort"
And yet the farming population, so
fed and clothed is the mainstay OF a
power that slowly encompasses the
earth in its embrace, II Is a wonder,
and no one can blame Russia for be-
ieying In a mission and a destiny.