Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1904-03-17
HIS LU S lF0R LAND.

Poland, Finland, part Of Turkey and
wide stretches of Asia. Manchuria
is his present meal, but he is casting
greedy eyes upon Korea, Persia,
Afghanistan, Turkey, India and
what remains of dismembered and
helpless China, and unless his ad-
vance is checked now by the legions
of Japan or latter by those of some
other power or powers his PROCESS
southwark will end at the Mediter-
ranean, the Red sea and the Indian
ocean.
The means by which this land
was taken have varied. Sometimes
by war, sometimes by diplomacy,
sometimes by settlement, he has
reached his end. He did not hesitate
at butchery if butchery were neces-
sary. He cheerfully lied if lying
would toward his purpose. He fo-
ment internal discords in the king
dom if he thus could come in under
the guise Of peacemaker and take
the country for his own. If it were
necessary to reach his goal by in
direction, then the indirect route
was followed; if he was compelled
to seize his prey when the other
powers were not looking, such seiz-
ure was made;if he had to wait a
century before achieving his object
he waited patiently and stolidly.
Beaten back at one point he reach
ed out at others. but always and
everywhere he kept in view one
thing-to get the land.
1t suffices that she has gained a
foothold. This she never relinquish
but bides her time, gaining larger
and larger concessions until at last
the captured provinceis a portion
of her ever advanced empire. Thus
she spread eastward from Moscow
to the Ural Mountains. Thus she
moved onward into Asia and annex
ed Siberia. Thus by struggle after
struggle she took Finland from
Sweden. Thus by partition after
partition she absorbed the larger
portion of Poland. Thus by war
after war she wrested the Caucasus
and Transcaucasus from Turkey.
Thus by crowding and fighting she
coqnuered portions of Turkestan,
Transcaspia' Khiva and Bokhara.
Thus by diplomacy she gradually
frightened her grip upon Manahuria
until Japan sprang to arms.
The evident mission" of Russia
is to spread all over the world and
convert everything to the temporal
dominion of the czar and the spirit
ual dominion of the Greek church.
The declared "mission''Of the Ja-
pan is to carry western civilization
to the orient, to be the leader of the
far east in the march of modern
progress. In the course of events
these two" missions" collided. The
result was war.
In time of peace the Russians
constantly prepares for war. On a
peace footing the army numbers a
bout 100000 men and each year
$40, 900 young men reach twenty
one and are liable to military serv-
ice. In time of war the government
has 3,6OO,OOO men, 500, 900 horses
5000 guns. The population of Russ
ia is about 13O, 900, ,OOO,of whom 4,
900, 900 are Jews, and it's area is 8,
447, ,234 square miles, nearly three
times as great as that of the Unit
ed States, Alaska and all of Uncle
Sans insular possessions. The holy
synod of the Greek church domin-
ates all religious affairs and the peo-
pie are very devout.
The legislative, judicial and exc
cutive powers are all vested in the
emperor who is assisted by cab.
met Of minister by council Of state
by a ruling senate and by a holy
synod. The people have little voice