The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1904-01-08

Both are Asiatic, the Japanese with
out serious intermixture and the r is
slams originally and with some modi
fications, but there the unity ends. Th'
Japanese Empire, under American anc
British influence, has used Asiati'
4 material but Anglo-Saxon methods ant
has become identified with modern
thought and with modern aims. Il
+; stands today as a sentinel of civiliZa-
| ton at the door of Asia. 1t has en-.
I! tered into the family of nations. II
! has adopted the gold standard. 1t has
made education general and systemat-
| ic. 1t has developed great statesmen
1t has organized an army that is COM
plete in discipline and equipment, and
also alert, intelligent, ambitious and
| loyal to the last degree. Its navy as
a whole is not equal to that of Russia,
| but in Asiatic waters, near to it's base
| and concentrated, at present superior
to any fleet that Russia can immedi-
| ately bring together at the scene of
hostilities, should war break out.
Russian policy, though carefully
planned and inflexibly followed, orig
mated in the middle ages, and is
moulded entirely upon the theory of
autocracy. Its purposes in no sense
correspond to American, British, or
even German or French movements, in
an enlightened and advancing world
Whatever conventional or even senti-
mental relations France may tempo
rarily sustain towards the Muscovite
Empire, the interests of all these pow
ers are Numerically opposed to the
aggressive attitude of Russia in Man
churia and to it's evident determination
to be supreme in Asia.
Thus, by singular but evident COIN
cidence, Japan, intensely Asiatic
though it has been, is the present rep
resentative in the diplomacy proceed
ing in the Orient, of the highest and
most enterprising American and Euro
pean nationalities, and Russia of the
most reactionary tendencies of the age
The Muscovites have been literally
forced into some recognition of inven-
ton and improvement, which, how
ever is thoroughly permeated by the
leaven of stolidity and despotism. Rus
sian soldiers and sailors are machines,
worked with automatic precision, and
as fatalistic as the Turks, without
their fieXibility. The Japanese, under
sized and far less beefy, are equally
disciplined and trained, and are fired
with ambition and determination. The
superiority of the japanese
over the Russians was proved in the
advance on Pekin.
The exact truth probably is that nei-
ther Japan nor Russia is so complete
Nv set a tbp t,l,a
would indicate, although the drift of
events points in that direction. In
the United States, Notwithstanding our
ancient friendship for Russia, the gen.
eral expression of public sentiment is
In favor of Japan. The threatened |
repetition of the massacre of the Jews |
at kishineff has infused an illogical |
element into the question. But inter-
est, which means the open door" in |
CHINA, leads to the same result. If
war should ensue, it is by no means
plain that, with the internal conditions /
prevailing In Russia, which would la
1or under the disadvantage of opera
ing at long distance from her base,
ma especially If there should be AN
alliance between Japan and China, the
huscovite advance on Asia may not
'e summarily checked, without the in
exposition of other powers. 1t is
'retty certain that neither the United
states nor Great Britain, and most
likely in the long run neither Germany
Tor France, will ever consent to an
Asiatic Russian monopoly. In any
vent. therefore, If hostilities cannot
'e checked, and whether or no other
lowers be constrained to interfere, it
probable that the Japanese conten-
ion, SO far as trade, commerce and
rec intercourse between China and
ivilized and progressive nations are
oncerned. will ultimately succeed.