The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1904-02-24
TIE RUSSIAN IN HISTORY.

Rooms 1865, Vincent Building, New
| York City.
TIE RUSSIAN IN HISTORY.
Why American Sympathy Should Lie
! With Japan In Present Conflict
To the Editor Of The State:
1t is difficult to understand how any
one who is at all acquainted with Eu-
ropean history especially the part Of 1t
that relates to Russia. can sympathtze
with that country in its struggle with
Japan: for viewed from any stand
point, except that OF brute force, Japan
/ is by far the more highly civilized na-
ton Of the two. From its very first
contact with civilization Japan has
made a progress that Is almost mar
velous, While Russia has remained
! practically barbarous despite the fact
! that she has been III intimate associa-
ton with the civilzing influences Of the
other countries Of Europe.
The truth Of the matter is that Rus
! sia has a pretty black record behind
her. a record Of tyranny, oppression
and duplicity that almost surpasseS be-
! lief. It is easily within the memory Of
! people now living when it was not
uncommon occurrence for ladies OF the
| Polish nobility to be stripped to the
waist and whipped in public by off,
Gals OF the Russian government. Wheli
Sweden was practically forced to cede
! Finland 10 Russia. the latter country
| pledged itself that il would not inter-
! fere with the language or local gov
! ernment Of the people. This promise
| has been most Shameful!y violated, and
the virtuouS, enlightened and patriotic
! Firms have been subjected TO almost
every indigaity that. Russian ingenuity
could devise But the darkest blot on
! Russia'S record is found in Siberia.
! Countless thousands Of its own citi-
ZenS and from its provinces like Poland
/ and Finland have been consigned, for
i no offense whatever. at least nothing
that would be considered such in a civ
i!iZed country, to living death in the
mines of Siberia, Without the slightest
| hope Of relief except by death, held as
they are by the iron hand of a despot-
ism that would have hardly been e&-
cusable in the dark ages.
There IS something almost farcical in
the attitude that Russia assumes as
the champion Of civilization and Chris
tianiry. for she stands in sore need Of
civilization herself and. in act at least.
! is a stranger TO the precepts Of Chris
t rianitS. What was the conduct Of the
| Russian troops during the recent trou-
and the murder Of thousands of help
less and inoffensive Chinese, driving
them into a deep river just as if they
were wild beasts. While the Russians
We're acting like savages, the japanese
| troops maintained their splendid dis
cipline, and returned TO their own
country with clean hands and with
out a single blot upon their record. But
putting all other questions aside, Rus
s!a is the aggressor and this being the
| case deserves to lose. Japan clearly
sees that the time has come when she
must make a supreme effort for ma
tional existence and she can be counted
on to struggle to the bitter end. Rus
sia has no need Of additional territory
while Japan, with its dense population
stands in sore need Of an extension of
its land area.
It is very easy to make comparisons.
! but the present struggle is being waged
under conditions that have never here
tofoce existed. II the South African
war England had to transport troops
and munitions Of war 5000 miles. bat
there was not a hostile vessel to inter
fere with her transports. 1t will be i'm
possible for Russia to send a single
man or gun By water and her sole de-
pendence is on one single line of rail-
road, and this is a very long one. EX-
perience has demonstrated that a sin
gle line, even for a comparatively short
distance. is not adequate for the trans
! portation Of large bodies of troops.
Germany has probably about eight sep
arate lines Leading 70 the Rhine and
about the same number in the direc-
rion Of the frontier. facing Russia. In
case of hostilties breaking out between
France and Germany they would each
have million men on the frontier in
less time than it would take Russia to
! put one-tenIh that number IN Man
churia. Unless something entirely Un-
] expected happens Russia will be con-
+; fronte6 with very much the same con-
F! ditionS that prevailed during the Cri-
! mean war. She had plenty Of troops and
resources but could not, owing TO the
| lack of transportation facilities. get
them to the front quick enough. This
! being the case. baffleG but not crushed.
she had TO accept the terms offered by
(; France and England. Japan cannot.
J of course, exhaust the resources OF
Russia but stands a good chance Of
eXhaustinG all the resources that Rus
Sia can make available.
To call this war struggle between
Christianity and ileathenism is the
veriest nonsense. Russia today is more
A barrier 70 the proDa CATION Of Chris
=! tiaGitE than - Japan. for y nation. just
as it With an individual. that processes
to be Christian and who. At the same
time does the greatest violence 20 the
teachings OF the Master. is Il greater
! enemy TO Christianity than an avo"'cd
disbelieve". II it could be accomplished
without b!oodShed the partition OF the
Russian empire would be a tremendous
gain for the cause Of civilization. Tor
then the Russian peopie. Steepc3 IN
/ dense ignorance and ground beneath
thta heel OF ;ln iron Gespotism, would
breathe the air OF freedom and happi-
ness and be given The opportunity to
emerge from 4 position that is but lit
tie superior tu that ni the beasts of
the field.
The people OF the south at least ought