The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-05-24
IS TT A woRIp.s rRAcEpy,

The war between Japan and Russia has
 lasted just little more than three
 months. At the rate it is now moving
 it bids fair to take on a very definite
 shape within the next three months. This shape 1t appears will be an en-
 trenched Japan defending every. foot of
 the ground in dispute, from every foot of
 which Russia will have been dislodged
 and driven. To say this Is to assume
 the role of prophet with a quite possible
 excess of celerity and ease, mindful as
 we ought to be that the wise never pre-
 dict until after the event. It looks, however, as if the event were practically
 before us in Manchuria. The Russians seem to be making every preparation for
 @ sort of last ditch stand at Harbin. They have abandoned Port Arthur to it's certain doom and are withdrawing in every direction, their retreating lines con- verging towards Harbin. Can they beat off the Japanese at that point? Unless all the signs are delusive the little yellow men have planned to overpower the Rus
 sians, not relying upon skill in strategy
 alone, but on Forests homely maxim of war, "get there first with the most men,"
 The Japanese are daring to the point of
 desperation and they have exhibited an astonishing mastery of war as an art
 This is well, but they mean to do better; they mean to overwhelm by numbers. We
 apprehend if the curtain is ever lifted from the transactions going on along the line of the Trans-Siberian Railway. there will be revealed scenes of wild disorder, mingled panic and rage such as the world has not seen since Napoleon's re-
 treat from Moscow. It is a question of supplies, of meat and bread. Wellington said every army goes upon its belly and at Lake Baikal there Is the stupendous crush not only of the food supplies neces- sary for great army, but of the still greater crush in moving the huge bodies of troops imperatively needed as rein forcements. One badly equipped single
 track of railroad must accomplish this Herculean task if the day is to be saved for Russia. It is easy to talk of bring ing Russia's immense resources to bear. How can they be brought to bear at that distance from home? England brought hers to bear in South Africa by | way of the sea. The sea is closed to Russia and that spectrally thin little line of railway must bear !. up under the weight of an empire.
 If the Russians could only get at | them, but they cannot get at them If. | as now looks probable, the Russians | will be compelled to begin over again, to draw back and arrange for an | Eastern equipment commensurate to the task she has set herself, she will | find Japan has not been idle; that an impregnable front will be presented | on the western borders of Manchuria. Looking to the remoter consequences. a defeat for Russia will cost her noth- ing but in pride. Spain was deeply grieved by the spanking given her by the United States. Spain now clearly recognizes that her over-sea possess sions were burden as well as a vexa- ticn, and that the mother country is showing herself far better off without t"o'h "Ath tHSIn. 1uSSld s ugly 1ntru- | sion upon the Japanese had no other motive originally than to found a sea | power in the Orient. Russia had, and | has, no actual need of sea power. Her whole destiny has lain well within her own borders, and far from the coast. Her military class has steadily urged | her on in competition with other na- tions, seeking glory where there was, in truth, no glory to be found If Ja- pan fastens her grip on Manchuria and Korea, declares she means to stay there and does stay there. the Cossacks can go back to the valleys of the Don and the Russian aristocracy can re- sume their plundering of the people by day and their dancing by night, and look back at their untoward adventures in the direction of China as an ugly dream.