Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1904-02-26
WHY JAPAN AND RUSSIA FIGHT,
CONTINUED from First Page.)


Japan always has considered Corea
as under her special protection, and
rightly so. Japanese interests in
Corea are far greater than those of
any other country, and the Japs prac-
tically run the commercial interests
there, although the biggest enter
prises are under American control.
Why should Japan want Corea?
Japan is composed of many islands
jutting out from the Corean coast, the
nearest point between the two coun.
tries being some sixty odd miles and
only $50 miles between Corea and the
main island of Japan. The area of
Japan Gncluding Formosa) is 10000
square miles, and its population is
47000,00O. Here is country the size
of California, the state having pop
ulation OF only 100000. The density
of Japan's population is nearly 800 per
square mile, or, in other words, Japan
is like huge and continuous village
in our rural districts, spreading over
all its land.
Every inch of Jananese soil is util.
ICED and were the people like Ameri.
cans, requiring diversity and i'm
mensity of food products, they could
not live. AS it is, Japan is big i'm
porter of food products. It's busy
artisans export $115,OOOOOO worth
of material each year, while it's i'm
ports are about $2,OOO,0OO in excess of
the foreign figures.
The fecundity of the Japs is we'll
known, and it is imperative that more
land be obtained. Already more than
100000 of them live in Corea, China
and the United States. Corea is large
enough and sparsely settled enough
to provide for 25,0O0,000 souls, living
as they do in Japan.
Japan never really made any seri-
Gus move to add Corea to the en-
pire. The two people lived together
in peace and concord, and their habits
and interests being similar, there was
never any OF that jealousy common
o two different races abiding togeth-
er. Corea is so necessary to Japan as
| I heaven for its overflow population
hat it cannot permit Russia to annex
t, aside from the menace politically.
tussia always has and always will
ursue a dog-in-the-manger policy.
Wherever the Great Bear goes there
no room for other nationalities. the
| Jap on the other hand, welcomes the
white foreigner. The prospect of
Ianchuria becoming annexed to Rus
5ia was bad enough for Japan, for it
menaced the future Of the island en-
1ire, but the prospect of Corea being
made Russian, in whole or in part,
was something that could not be
thought of for a moment. Then Cor
ca is an important stepping stone to
China, so Russia thinks.
What does Russia want of Corea?
The master minds-and for ages the
| highest Russian ministers have been
such-who planned that gigantic un-
dertaking, the Trans-Siberian rail-
way, probably mapped out, step by
step the movements that have fol-
owed. They probably even included
ust such war as is now in sight.
Several pages OF The Blade might be
-overed with interesting narratives
If this great project, for it certainly
S one of the greatest things ever
tempted in the worlds history, in.
luding as it does the various rami.
ications into diplomacy, conquest and
ommercial activity, both on land and
sea.
The great railway is a fact; it ex
ends from st. Petersburg across the
lains of Russia over the mountains
through the dense forests and ovel
he rolling steppes of drear Siberia;
yer gorges, around morasses, cross
lg rivers and lakes, winding through
lanchuria to cover the best land
nd circling at its extreme eastern
nd in order to cover the summer por
+ vladivostok and the winter port o
'ort Arthur, and thus reaches the tri
utaries of the great Pacific.
Corea is like the hind leg of {
abbit, with Vladivostok at it's toI
nd Port Arthur at the gambrel joint
nd the most important part of Japar
the toe. The broad and deep YAH
lver separates Manchuria from Corea
he Russians have found that the
alu is necessary to them. Vladi
ostok is now isolated from the mair
erminus of the great railway. This
oast line of Corea, intervening be
ween Vladivistok and Port Arthur
Russian, would make the czar su
RENE on the western side of the Pa
ific. 1t would absolutely overawe
apan in the Japan and Yellow seas.