The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1904-03-11
Russia and Japan.

bate, taking as their topic the Russia
Japan embroglio. j. e. Smits and f.
G. Sasse argued that Russia should be
victorious and Rev. HI. E. X. Painter and
j. L. Palmer maintained that Japan
should win Mr.. Smits made the point
that 'if the Gar wins out we may look
for a still further advance of western
civilization in China and the east With
Japan and China victorious the yellow
terror becomes a conspicuous POSSIBLE
ity, for the union of .China's untold ma
terial and numberless soldiers with Jap
ans enterprise and skill would make a
combination almost invincible. The pos
sibility of a union between these two
yellow races becomes a possibility If
Japan is successful and the danger to
Europe and America in such an alliance
is evident. Russian success would be at
tended with no such possible danger,
rather a greater feeling of worldwide Sc
.curity in the knowledge that the worlds
peace would probably never again be dis
,turbed" Mr. Sasse contended that Rus
STA has done great deal for civilization,
and if victorious in the present struggle
she could accomplish more. But the
Fairmont attorney raised point that is
open to criticism. He said: "When we
speak of Japan we forget to mention the
heather hordes within her border, and
these, at least are wanting in Russia.
Compared with Russia Japan is small
and results are manifested at once.
When Russia once gets her teeming mil
lions in motion, their momentum will be
so great nothing can stop them, and
Japan's progress will sink into insig
nifcance in comparison"
Mr. Sasse shoots wide of the mark
He should not forget the "heathen
hordes" that infest Russia. The world
has been given a sad picture of the
brutal spirit in the cars domain. Look
at the slaughter of the innocents in
Kishenef. We do not hear of such atroc-
tiles being committed in Japan, where
the people are allowed to worship God
as their own consciences dictate. Rus
,sia's teeming millions are ignorant, and
with conditions as they now are sure to
continue for an indefinite period, there
is no hope that they will become enlight-
ened. Russia. Even the name has
harsh sound. It's government is tyran-
meal, there is no hope for the poor,
they are serfs with not spark of in
dependence There is no freedom of
speech word in remonstrance of the
tyranny imposed upon the. people is
enough to land the one who speaks it
in Siberia. Japan is progressive ma
ton. Her people are bright, energetic
and courageous.
Rev. HI. X Painter in his argument in
favor of Japan shows the superiority OF
the Japanese government over that OF
Russia Japan has free speech and free
press; Russia has prohibition for the one
and censorship for the other. Japan
gives free right of petition and volun-
tary assembly. Russia abridges the
former and denies the latter. Japan has
a general system of public education;
Russia not only has none, but with three
times the population she has only one
third as many children, proportionately,
in elementary schools. Japan gives en-
tire religious liberty; Russia absolutely
denies it. Japan stands for 'the open
door and commercial freedom, Russia
for closed door to the worlds trade.
Japan has no protesting Finland, no
PROSTATE Poland, no outraged Kishenef;
but contented and happy people. Rus
STA has all these, with many insurrec-
tionary elements among her population
arising from oppression. Japan stands
for Hay in diplomacy; Russia for Mach
iaveili Japan for right, Russia for
might. In short, Japan stands for the
expanding fruitful forces of the TWEEN
tieth century, while Russia stands for
the mediaevalism, the absolutism of the
sixteenth. If there be any such thing as
"a yellow peril it can be better dealt
with by Japan with its policy of internal
development and wise guidance, than by
the externally repressive and compul-
sorry policy of Russia, with its methods
four centuries behind the times. For
two hundred years Russia has steadily
marched across the map of the Eastern
hemisphere in persistent policy of ag-
gression. She is bound, if possible, to
possess, southern Asia, free from ice
bound harbors If she wins now, Man
churia and Korea will fall into her
power, eventually Japan itself, and prob
ably the great Empire of China. She
will then be what Vladivostock means,
Domination of the East 1t is well
known that she seeks Constantinople.
She is pressing hard upon British India.
If all these conditions are realized, she
will 'bestride the narrow world like
Colossus In my judgment the ques-
ton of race supremacy in the future
lies between the Anglo-S Saxon and the
Slav. Can there be any doubt as to
which side should have the sympathy Of
all those who speak the English
tongue?"
Sentimental folks raise the old cry
that the northern people should sympa
thize with Russia because Russia stooc
s.pat" for the north during the War o.
the Rebellion. In that instance th'