Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1904-01-07

/ uluH WANT japan W oNNNAN Hhese N
coveted herself. And no sooner had
she sshooed" her little neighbor out
than she set about in her subtle way TO
gain her ends. She acquired 'con-
cessions" from the Chinese permitting
her to extend her Trans-Siberian rail-
way down through Manchuria to that
same Port Arthur out of which she had
elbowed the japanese.
This railroad figures very largely in
the Eastern question. 1t is gigantic
system linking together the domains
OF the car, connecting Russia In
Europe with far away Siberia, even to
the Pacific coast, 1t is at once men
ace to the trade and political ambi-
tons of Russia's nelghbors. and a
source of commercial and military
strength to herself. IL affords not
only direct route TO rich and popu-
lous China, with her teeming millions,
but serves as a safe and dependable
line of communication over which in
the event of war, troops and munitions
could be thrown, for purposes of de-
tense or ofense, to the Pacific coast.
England views this recently com
pleted railroad with misgivings, fore
seeing the time when Russia will have
bound China to her chariot and come
stalking mp TO the very borders Of
India. But if this danger is some
what remote, that of Japan is real and
imminent
Japan, be it remembered. also has
ambitions. Awakened from semi
barbarism almost in twinkling, and
now standing proudly among the
great powers of the earth, she regards
herself as the coming empire OF the
East whose influence is to quicken the
inert mass OF Mongolians and make
the Orient once more the theatre OF the
worlds activities. But athwart her
path, baking her at every turn, stands
the Russian bear-an intruder. Nor
does this bear stand still, but con-
stantly moves toward her and toward
China, the prize coveted by both. This
Siberian railway brings Russia to the
very door OF Japan, and quite within
China herself. Every day strengthens
Russia in the Far East-and makes
Japan's future more doubtful They
face each other as rivals. The time Is
coming, lift is not already at hand,
when they will lock horns for the
When the Boxer outbreak occurred, 7
Russia, together with Japan, Great I
Britain, Germany, France and the {
United States, rushed in troops TO :
restore order. But when the trouble |,
was over and all the others had with
irawn Russia still fingered in Man ?
,huria, the Chinese province through !
which the Siberian railway runs on
its way down from Siberia to Port 4
Arthur. The other powers protested a
against this occupancy. Russia a
yrinned complacently-and stayed. :
Finally, the United States secured I,
lefnite promise that Russian troops c
would withdraw and Manchuria would 4
De restored to China on the sth day of /,
october last Shortly before this Rus .
ia made certain demands upon China b
is condition precedent TO her with s.
travail; demands of such a nature a
hat China could not possibly accept 7
hem-and Russia knew this when she ii
made them. This gave her an excuse, d
hough tlimsy one, for continuing in I
1t is generally recog- i
Iized that Russia is ia Manehuria to q
tay, and while the other powers make il
aces at her Japan is the only one so 4
eeply concerned as to make much a
uss about it. u
II you will look on your map you Ii
will note that lying southeast of Man 81
huria, and jutting down between the 4
ga of Japan on the north and the =,
elbow Sea.on the south is the CoreaR {,
eninsula. 1t reaches out into the Fl
'acific well toward the japanese group v
( islands. A glance will show how n
ll-important this domain is to Japan n
nder present conditions. She must p
ither possess it or keep Russia from 7
occurring il, or her very life is I,
threatened. La
Now it happens that Russia wants
orea as she wanted Manchuria and as NJ
he wants everything lying next to her -,
} all parts of the planet. She is 81
lready intriguing for a foothold. ju
orea is nominally an independent "a
ingdom; really it is controlled by the !.
reign influences that are strongest at d
le court. Japan could never endure III
lie thought of Russia's putting this 80
st and final bar to her way on the
ointment Ii it is question of Russia ~