Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1904-02-25
JAPANESE RUSSIAN WAR.
THE CAUSES THAT LED TO
THE PRESENT CONFLICT.
Russia Sought to Secure For Her
self Results of Japan's Victory
Over China After Japan
Was Forced by the Pow
ers to Relinquish.

We have received several commu-
nicatiOns from various sources ask
ing US what the war in the east is
all about. The impression seems to
be that if the various powers, includ-
ing Russia, incline favorably to the
idea of preserving the neutrality and
integrity Of Chinese territory, there
can be no real reason for the war
that has just begun.
The cause of the war, however,
dates back to the conflict between
China and Japan, in which the last
named power was the victor. In the
treaty Of peace that followed the war
China ceded to the japanese consid-
cradle territory, including Port Ar
thur. No sooner was this cesSion
made public than three great pow
ers, Russia, Germany and France,
entered protests. They demanded
that the integrity of Chinese terri
tory should be preserved, and they
were so earnest in these demands
that Japan thought 1t best to forego
the fruits of the victory she had won.
Hence she gave up Port Arthur and
the contiguous territory.
But as soon as she had Withdrawn
from Port Arthur Russia came in
and took her seat, and forthwith
Port Arthur became a Russian port
Of entry, a Russian naval station,
and a terminus of the Siberian rail-
way. Immediately Russia began to
occupy the Chinese territory ofMan-
churia, and she has maintained that
occupation from that day to this
has maintained it in the face of the
protests of other powers and in spite
of treaty stipulations to thecontrary.
She was always departing on paper,
but something or other invariably
interfered with her departure, and
to-day she has a frmer hold on Man
churian territory than China her
self.
The negotiations between Japan
and Russia were confined entirely to
questions concerning the occupation
of Manchuria and Korea, and the
manner in which they have been
carried on by Russia shows beyond
all question that Russia considers
her occupation Of Manchuria as a
finality. The delays that have taken
place in the negotiations were sim
ply the result of her desire for more
time IN which to convey troops to
the scene. It has been left for Japan
to uncover and expose Russia's real
intentions with respect to China, and
the probability is that Japan has not
constituted herself the mouthpiece
and spokesman of England and the
United States without a clear under
standing of the part she was to play
in the business Of pushing Russia
out.
AS far back as 1902, when Russia
endeavored to extort from Chinace GER
tain special privileges, the American
Secretary of State, Mr.. Hay, de-
cIared that s.such a concession on
China's part would undoubtedly be
followed by demands from other
powers for similar equally extensive
advantages elsewhere III the Chinese
empire, and the inevitable result
must be the complete wreck of the
policy of absolute equality of treat
nent to all nations" In fine, as q
recent japanese writer puts the case,
without China, there a be no open
door, and without Manchuria there
will ultimately be no China.
The integrity of Chinese territory,
which is important to all the nations
that have any considerable trade in
the east, is vital to Japan, for if the
Russians r to be permitted to
maintain themselves in Manchuria
II will not be many years before
thew will have the whole of China,
and Japan will be compelled to
starve in her little orner island.
This is why Japan has gone to
war; the little nation is fighting for
it's existence.