The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-03-08

badly not Japanese in the whole EN-
pfre who is not sympathetic with the
war the country is carrying on They
believe that the contest is a matter of
life or death for their country. They
may be mistaken in this. They may
exaggerate the Importance of the war.
They may have misjudged the inten-
lions of Russia But the important
thing is that they believe it, and faith
and enthusiasm are essential to sue
cess.
On the other hand, it is probable that
the great mass of the Russian peas
ants, even if they know that a war is
going on, have a very faint idea of
what it is all about and little interest
in it, outside of the possibility it pre-
sents of enforced military service.
There is reason to believe also that
there is another advantage on the side
of Japan There is every indication
thus far that she was prepared for war.
and that Russia was not. Yet the war
cloud has been on the horizon for many
months. Nothing has been more self
evident than that preparation for war
was the height of national wisdom. To
a certain extent, Russia has under
stood this as well as Japan. Why then
with all the magnificent courage and
enterprise she has displayed in com
mercial expansion, in the advance of
railroads, of banks and of trade, is she
not prepared for WARP Let us put the
answer to this question in the words
of a banker who has made study of
the situation and whose views are en-
titled to great respect:
Both Russia and Japan have been
getting money for this war for a long
time, but Russia made poor use of it,
while Japan has expended wisely. The
reason for this is not hard to find. The
Japanese officials have not yet been
corrupted by success and prosperity.
They have. expended the money legiti-
mately in military equipment. Every
yen has been honestly spent, and spent
so as to produce the best results. AS
a consequence, Japan enters the war
in a high state of military and naval
efficiency. Now what are the facts as
regards Russia? Why is it that she
has met with reverse after reverse?
She is charging Japan with bad faith
with striking before a declaration OF
war. But she would be wiser to charge
her own officials with bad faith and
dishonesty. I believe that this war will
reveal to the world the deep-seated cor
ruption in the Russian government.
You have heard of no Japanese noble
man playing the stock market in Paris
or gambling at Monte Carlo. But how
is it with Russian noblemen and Off
cials2''
All this is of value as bearing on the
progress of the great war in the east.
But it is still more of value in its bear
ing upon the American nation. How is
it with the United States? Are we
PREPARED?
We hear from time to time much
complaint of those who continually
dwell on the subject of corruption in
the political and commercial life of the
country. They are called disagreeabie
"eroakers, and their patriotism is even
| put in question. Why harp so much, it
is urged. on scandals in postoffiee and
ship building? Why shout SO loud
about the peril of great campaign
funds, and excuses in promotion and
speculation? Because only that nation
is safe. is strong and is prepared which
! is not corrupted by prosperity, by
greed for money that pays no atten-
ton to the moral law, and by luxury
that breeds generalization and decay.
The United States. now so great. so
rich so strong. is peculiarly in danger
of corruption. She has not yet been
corrupted, but corruption is the spe-
cial peril that she must most guard
against. Numbers do not count, armies
and navies fail. and wealth is a curse.
if when the crisis comes it finds the ma
! ton weakened by excuses that have
corrupted it's government and its COM
merce.