The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-01-20

which Great Britain and Japan mutually
recogmzed the independence of China and
Corea. 1nat document again stated tnat
Japan Was peculiarly concerned with
Lorea, and with or without the assistance
of Great Britain, would take measures to
safeguard her interests there Wherever
she deemed those interests menaced. Inc
treaty contained the last omcial procia-
nation OF Japans Corean policy.
The present antagonfsm of Russia to
that policy had its origin in 1886 when
Russian merchant named Bryner DONG
business in Vladivostock got from the
Corean Government written permission to
cut timber and to pant trees IN the val
ley of the Yalu River. TINS concession
does not expire until 1916 The fact that
one of the parties to 1t is a Russian sub
tect is held by the Russian Government
to justify the establishment of garrison
at YOngampho, a point which, by the
way, Is not within the timber area that
the concession was obviously intended to
include Japan regards the activity Of
Russia at Yongampho and neighbortng
points as an indication that Russia means
permanently to entrench herself in the
Yalu valley and in the course OF time
to connect Vladivostock and Port Arthur
by pre-empting all of Northern Corea.
Should this be accomplished the ultimate
' rate oil the enIlro SOT6dH pSHlilSuld WONAN
be that of a Russian province.
Japan is therefore resolved to check
Russia In the beginning. The ,heory that
Russia Is occupying Yongampho merely
to force from Japan, as the price of with
drawal a definite recognition of Russia's
position in Manchuria Is ingenious, but
hardly tenable. Russia is determined to
stay in Manchuria, no matter what may
be the opinion of the rest of the world
as to her policy of the motives behind 1t.
Japan knows this and Russia knows that
Japan knows it, No amount of formal
recognition by Japan will make Russia's
position in Northern China more secure.
Russia views the Coren question as some
thing to be settled on its own merits and
entirely irrespective of her interests in
China. Sovereign of Corea she would
be in possession a coast line that would
make her the absolute mistress of North
ern Asia and of it's seas as well. Japan
would be at her mercy. She could des-
troy China at will. There would be none
to thwart her ambitlons-they might soar
to any height.
Russia may be sincerely DESTROYS of
peace. but the fact remains that she has
prepared for war on scale that bodies III
for the preservation of her friendly rela-
tinos with Japan. All her available war
ships, with the exception of a small
Baltic squadron, are now mustered in
Asiatic waters or on the way thither.
She has stripped the Mediterranean of
fighting craft. She has rushed troops and
munitions toward the Corean frontier with
an almost feverish dispatch, And OPP
portunity to thus concentrate her power
where it will prove the most efficacious
has been afforded by the prolongation of
the diplomatic dealings with Japan. The
latter, too, has not been idle and the
knowledge that she will strain every eff
fort TO preserve Corea from foreign ag-
gression that she will hesitate at no
sacrifice, may at the last moment incline
the St Petersburg government to retreat
from its present position. There appears
to be no room for compromise. Russia
must quit Yongampho or fight