The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-02-28

gland, who is our friend in this conten- tion. encircled the globe with islands and semi-continents as the trophies of con- quest? And did she not in the Opium war" forced on China, charge her billion of thalers. and seize Honkong and all the island and the free navigation of the greatest inland river connecting Canton with the sea, and all for Indemnity ?'' | And yet you so-called Christian powers deny to Japan triumph and treaty con cession justly earned by her unstained sword A half century ago you sent miss ionaries bearing a new and to us a strange religion of peace and goodwill to men, teaching us to 'do unto others as ye would they should do unto youi" Japan, though not Christian. welcomed them in tolerant spirit as we'll as in treaties by which they were directly protectsd. And yet the very first opportunity your powers have had to verify in act. instead of words, this Christian rule, you cruelty it. and Japan is the victim"
 So it was. Japan fought China; Russia seized from her the fruits of victory. Rus sia has trampled upon Japan every day since she took possession of Port Arthur, extending her territory in Eastern China and Manchuria-a part of China-and Ohl thc tIduCfS' Ol OlDcf COuu- tries. Russia Is practically a closed coun- try to the trade of other nations On the other hand Japan opens her country and all her possessions to the trade of all other people.
 Therefore, first because of right, and, second, because of business. the average American sympathizes with Japan. They are progressive, believing in open coun- tries rather than closed ones.
 Now word about the Japanese as "a people. I spent several months among them few years ago, and likewise some time in China. Tn Japan. like in England, there is an aristocracy, considered the highest class; largely in control of the government and the army and navy. The soldier and the sailor rank among the highest. The merchant and banker and trader rank lower and are not possessed of the supposed honorable instincts of the former class. In China it is exactly the opposite. The merchant is the highest and most honorable type. The soldier and the sailor rank as plebians of the lowest type.
 In China. for instance. the verbal con- tract of merchant is as good as his bond. A verbal contract of a Japanese mer- chant Is worthless unless 1t be purely to his interest
 I was once in the office of great Am erican importing house in Shanghai, China, when magnificent looking fellow over six feet tall and weighing more than two hundred pounds came in to order ship ment of cotton cloth to be delivered in four months time. He was a Chinaman, with the usual queue but as different in appearance from the little measly Can tonese coolie brand that we see in this country as is a white man from mulatto. The order he made amounted to nearly thirty thousand dollars. He gave his order, agreed upon price and politely re. cable to New York for the goods and turned to me with the remark That's not a bad order.'
 No" said I. ''but do you not require deposit, or a contract?"
 "Certainly, not" he answered. Amy Chinese merchants word is as good as if he had deposited half the money with us. I have done business with them for years and have never lost dollars. It does not matter how much cotton goods may go down in the meantime, when that ship ment arrives he will take it at the agreed price and pay for it. In Japan it is diff 'ferent. The Japanese merchant will throw a shipment back upon you under the slightest pretext If he can save single