The Brunswick daily news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1903-1906, 1904-08-21
A NATURAL SYMPATHY.

The question has been frequently
asked why there is such a strong sen
timent among the American people in
favor Of Japan in the present war OF
that nation and Russia.
Professor Edwin Maxey. master OF
diplomacy and dostor Of laws Of the
law department Of the University OF
Vest Virginia attributes. in an article
ia the August Arena, this sympathy
largely TO the fact that the United
States first put Japan in friendly com
niunication with the rest Of the world
Is 1853 the United States government
sent a naval expedition under Com
mander Perry to enter the gulf port
OF the empire, and to present to the
emperor the friendly greetings Of the
great republic. At that time the ports
CT the country were closed against
foreigners, but the American commo-
dore pushed his way ins and after The
formal crust of oriental seciusion was
broken through, the overtures Of the
Americans were well received and Ia
1854 commercial treaty between the
two countries was concluded. In 1860
Japan sent an embassy with suite
CT seventy persons to the United St2t-
g. by the way of San Francisco and
the Isthmus of Panama This was
the first mission Of the kind sent to
Christian country Subsequently the
Japanese became hostile with all for
eign nations, but in 1864 the country
vas bombarded by combined fleet
anto decent recognition of the va
'rous treaties
II is difficult to see in the relations
between the two countries. as men
toned above. any good reason why
the American people in a body should
be generally affected by a special SEN
timent of regard for the Japanese
since the history of the naval expedi-
ton to Japan is known to but few OF
the people at this day Nor is the
sentiment under discussion caused by
our commercial interest in the trade
Of Manchuria, which Is itself no great
matter of sufficient general value to
arouse popular sympathy But says
d. Maxey, Japan stands for progress
and Russia for reaction, and that, he
telieyes, is enough to arouse the Am
elican people to the side OF Japan.
None Of the conditions mentioned
above have any influence with the
American people, but the real cause
OF the popular interest in Japan is
two-fold. One is the general feeling
OF horror felt by people of all classes
al the atrocious outrages practiced by
the Russians upon the Jews at Kish-
ineH a few months ago, added to the
earlier Indignation at the conquest
and destruction of the kingdom Of
Poland about the beginning OF the
century. The romantic
history of Thaddeus Kasctusko. the
most distinguished Of the last Polish
revolutionary heroes a generation ago,
excited the sympathies of the world.
His adventures were told in many
novels and romances and on the dra-
matte stage
In addition to the sentimental con,
which arrayed the Ameri-
can people against Russia is anoth-
er that operates with much force. It
is the fact that the japanese are a
people of small stature and that their
country is small one, while they are
Ell gagged in war against nation OF
81 CHI vast population and territorial
extent that 1t is known as the Coios-
sus of he north. bestrding the east
cru hemisphere with one foot on the
continent of Europe and the other on
that Of Asia, These are matters sen
orally known to the American people
and it is to them that the sympathy
OF the American people for Japan
and against Russia, is due.