The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1904-02-26
ASTORIAN PUBLISHING COMPANY.
MANCHURIA AND OUR TRADE.

MANCnUhlA AND w TRADE.
The idea that Manchuria is but vast bleak and
barren domain, quite common on this side of the
world is netirely erroneous, The immense value
of that country the real underlying ground of con-
tention not merely between Russia and Japan, in
sense, the worlds mandatory, but also between
semi-Asiatic Russia and the leading powers, becomes
every day more apparent Wise therefore and timely
is the latest diplomatic contention that Manchuria
with its enormous resources and its astonishing pro-
ductive capacity, shall not be aenated from China
with her Man Chu dynasty; the pledge obtained
from Russia by the powers concerned win be abso-
lutely valueless unles Japan's premptory and
resolute action has again made this definite issue
1t is not question now of pandering to Christian
Cossack susceptibities or of estimating too closely
what dangers, if any-as is believed in Germany
may arise In a retroceded Manchura, should the
crude polytheism OF Holy Russia and the bloody
knout of its religious agents be supplanted still fur
ther by the mild and inofensive Bhuddist doctrine
That IS not the concern of commercial power like
the United States Pious and, withal, SO practical
England is not worrying, we may be certain. as to
how much more eficacious toward the world s prog
ress is an ''eikon" than Bhuddist praying-wheel
There are countless millions of the Bhuddist creed
II IS not they who are disturbing the peace of the
world but an ostentationsly and essentially Christian
power
10 appreciate the full value of Manchuria we
can not do better than to return to recent report
Of J w Davidson, the United States consul at For
moSa. lie paints very attractive picture of the
present condition of Manchuria AS to its not be-
ing able to support an army of occupation. we are
told that the wheat and beef industries there have
developed 50 rapidly that within very short time
the country will be Independent of all outside sup
plies OF beef and -four. All along the line Of the
railway splendid cities are springng up and of these
Hardin is the greatest This place, only three years
old, has now a population of 10000 Russians Mr.
Davidson says that this will be one of the most i'm
portant cities of the far east It has commercial |
stability. Hardin will be the great railway center
OF all Manchuria, and engine shops costing 81 ,25O,
900 are now being built there It's industrial and
commercial aspects include large -four mills and
important wholesale flour establishments
Mr. Davidson is concerned with the effects of Rus
sian occupation upon American commerce Amer
lean trade with Manchuria will suffer. he thinks
much more than British. The products despatched
to Manchurla from England are not largely pro-
duced IN Russia, but kerosene OIL cotton goods -four
and timber which constitute the bulk of American
shipments to Manchuria, are very largely porduced
by Russia Moreover, Manchuria- grown wheat the
production of which is increasing tremendously. is
much cheaper than American or Russian wheat The
city Of Hardin alone now produces more than S0O,-
OOO pounds of -four daily. Mr.. Davidson urges ON
MS countrymen that they must develop the American
trade with Nlanchuria on entirely new lines.
This report, written before the outbreak of the
persent war, now possesses an added significance
just at present Japan is fighting our battles