Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1904-02-10
THE CONQUEST OF ASIA BY RUSSIA.

John Brsben Walker hands this elegant arc to the Amer
ican public through the February Cosmopolitan
NAGA across the AsiatiC continent. IA. Al
KY E9 that time her advance-posts were
q k}yk{ but eight hundred miles from ST.
SFfAA Petersburg To-Day Russia stretch
FNF & es in an unbroken line Of FIVE thOus-
Nj s and miles. Three hundred and
HI twenty years have been consumed in
this slow progress, advancing, fighting retreating;
but each decade marked Russia's march toward the
Pacific. At such times as the attention was dis
tracted by war; then it that Russia chose to make
bold moves. While the batteries of England and
France we're forcing the bastOns of SebastopOl the
Governor General Of the Siberian grovinces was be-
ginning his conquest Of China. Always this varie-
gated peOple-civized, half civilized and barbarOus
were united, body and SOUL with a single ideal
"Rusia, Mistress Of the wOrldl"
And to-day, what vast section Of the globe does
not the Russian empire encompass In its progress
to the East, the TransSberian Railway has crossed
five rivers each more than three thousand miles in
length, each stream as long or longer than the
Mississippi
From the scratches made here and there on this
vast area, they are already taking out twenty five
millions of gold annually-yet this is minded by the
crudest methods and under every adverse circum-
stance. One place is worked for gold, where it is
known that it exists in a hundred.
Slowly, patiently step by step, decade after de-
cade, the march toward the Pacific was kept up.
this enemy on her frontiers. A force OF fifteen
Thousand men surrounded the Russian OutpOsts
captured every man and woman and carried them
of to PekDg, placed them in a Russian compound
under mild restrictions, unknOwingly giving the
victory to the conquered by establishing in PekiDg
a mission which destined to intrigue and watch,
and watch and intrigue from this fortunate vantage.
point.
In 1861 when the French and English allies cap.
tured Taku, while at the same time great internal
rebellion was in progress, costing ten millions of
lives and demanding every exertOn upon the part
Of the imperial government-then Russia came once
more to the front and succeeded in securing the re-
giOn Of the Amur.
The conquest of Siberia, and later of the Amur,
have much to remind one Of our Own experiences
beyond the Mississippi. From the very beginning
back In 1881 the men who went to the frontier were
Of the hardest and bravest type party OF rebels
hall brigands-defeated the forces sent against
them by Ivan the Terrible, but were compelled to
retreat up the Kama River until they we're lost in
the forest. Here they we're Joined by other adVen.
turers and, invading the country beyond were able
to obtain pardon by turning over to Ivan 3 great
section of conqured territory The deeds Of ValOr
Of desperate courage, Of suffering and privatiOn
which marked Russia's advance, would fll hun
dred thrilling Volumes. But low cunning cruelty,
bestiality, we're the accomplishments Of horrors in.
Vulnerable.
Twenty years latter the Trans Siberian Railway
project began to be put forward. An article pub
lished in the Cosmopolitan, In 1885, first called the
attention OF English speaking people to the signif
canoe and importance Of the work in progress.
AS It began to near completion, those familiar
with the situation watched with interest to see what
Russia's play would be. Something was due to
happen. And when the unaccOuntabe attack upon
the legations IN Pecking Occurred-an attack which,
however threatening, was never seriously meant
there we're not few who believed that behind the
movement could be detected Russia's subtle hand.
Undoubtedly Russa's necessities prompted that the
public mind should be confused, that indignation
should be aroused, and that the world should
be made to feel thankful that the Russian railway
was coming 80 near and that the troops Of q civiz-
ed power would presently be within easy reach.
Perhaps there other and bOlder Objects but It
gave excuse for the occupation Of Of Manchuria and
here Russia settled In seeming confidence Of not be-
ing disturbed.
Prior TO 1896, Russia had been permitted to work
out designs uniterruptedly. The world ct large
knew nothing o. her plans. Only in the legations
was there any clear conception Of what the Trans
Siberian Railway meank But as the line neared
completion distinguished travellers began to cross
this region and draw inierences.
Japan, always alert finding Russia ct the upper
end OF Korea knew full well that Korea was Just as
much 3 part Of Russia's program as Manchuria;
that firmly intrenched on the borders Of the penin
sula, each decade would witness some advance il
the direction Of Japan just each decade for three
hundred years had witnessed Russa's progress 10
the same direCtiOn-much or little, bat always
progress.
Russia il possession Of Manchuria would find an
opportunity, il some attack on the legations, or
equally plausible occasion, to move on to Peking
then on Marking then on Canton, then on India
If, indeed in the meantime India had not been ap
preached from another direchOn-then from India
ess ..1e