Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1904-02-18
CARS FORCES DEEMED TO BE IN
BAD WAY.
VERY WEEK ON THE SEA
Military Experts Seem to Think Rus.
sia's Handicaps Are Too Great to
Allow Her to Win-The Navy Is
Old, While Japan's Is New-Ter
ribIe Stretch of Country.

NSW 1OEhJ Il Gu lO.--lL' w. L hoJSi
a tactitian, tells the Brooklyn Eagle
that Japan will win. While Japan has
not been considered first-class
power like England, France, Germany
on well planned system of offense
and defense for the past eight years.
For two years, at least, she has been
preparing for this very struggle. In
that she is better prepared for it than
Russia.
Japan has had the best of tutors
and she is the best of students. Her
officers and men possess the very
arrogance of confidence-conceit.
critics say, and before this confidence
will lose it's unfolding power the men
must be dead. Her leaders are wise
enough to know that she has caught
Russia afoul, and there will no let up
in vigorous campaign.
Russia's Handicap.
Japan knows that the boast that
Manchuria, with their supplies, is pure
bluff. She knows it would take the
complete machinery of the Trans
Siberian railway four months to carry
100000, and that it will exhaust the
resources of the road to bring war
supplies for the men now in Man,
churla for two months of precious
time.
| She knows that the Russian feet
has a coal supply for only few
weeks, and can get no more; she knows
that neither the Port Arthur nor the
Valadivostok squadron can get out
alive she knows that she has prepared
to blow up hundred bridges and
culyerts of the great feeding road.
Since the Japanese have established
their superiority in the first-the sea
campaign-it is certain that as the
fight goes on they will show more
superiority, for they have the finest
ship yards in the Pacific for repairing.
Their arsenals and coal yards are
handy within a days sail, and the
Russian fleet out of the way will at
once establish japan as the power in
the orient. Then, if necessary, Japan
can get foreign loans, for there will
be no sorrow over the downfall of
Russia
The Japs have one of the greatest
patriotic armies in the world: the
men will fight without pay if neces-
sary; all they want Is to whip Russia.
The men can live on a pound of rice
day, while the Russian soldier must
have several pounds of meat AMI
other things to go with it. On the
one side no great amount of camp
equipage is necessary, while on the
other there must be ten pounds to a
man. The Jap does not worry about
clothes, and he figures on keeping
active enough to make up for cum.
bersome uniforms. With rice and all
kinds of cereals in great quantities
on hand, as well as millions of pounds
of canned beef, and the wide ocean
open to get more, what fears the Jap
of the mighty Russian army?
The Attitude of Europe.
OF course, all this is from the Jap.
anese view point; the reader can make
up his own mind One thing more
ought to be said-the attitude of Eu
rope.
Great Britain, of course. is the pas
sive ally of Japan, as France is of
Russia. Germany doesn't care which
loses, according to her officials. but
while Russia is busy with Japan the
kaiser will be making love to the sui
tan of Turkey. and it would not be
surprising if the two were in great &C
cord before next summer.
Great Britain will take control OF
Tibet, one of the Chinese dependen-
cies, and thus the real partition or
China will begin. Then the English
will dazzle the court Of the shah of
Persia, and even Afghanistan will
come under their spell. Thus in
few months Russia will lose all the
diplomatical victories she has gained
by hard and patient labor in the last
twenty years.
China is the great unknown guam.
tfty. II she Is drawn into the fight
1t will be on the side of Japan.
1t must be remembered that the
Japanese vessels are new. while all of
Russia's are not. Also. don't forge,
the fact that Japan has been through
a modern naval war, while Russia has
not. No one knows whether the Rus
slams will make good fighters on the
sea, but from what American naval
experts say, they probably will not.
Workmanship is one Of the weakest
points of the Russians. and "the man
behind the gun as we saw in our
own little fight. is what counts in
modern battles.
The Land Campaign.
So far as sizing up the actual con
ditions Of the land campaign are con.
cerned, 1t would take far sighted
stratesist TO predict any result that
might be borne out Man for man, ex,
perts say. the Jap could beat the ST,
herian soldier. With bare statement