The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1904-03-22

possible our wonderful cities and
indeed also our wonderful farms.
The steam reaper is an emblem
of discomfort with old conditions.
The agricultural college has its
origin in the same discomfort.
All progressive things are the
outcome of unsatisfied men of
intelligent purpose, and the
worlds debt to these restless
ones can never be paid and in
many cases never acknowledged.
just a thought on the war in
the far East, -perhaps the
thought may be prophetic. The
Japanese will do the best fight
ing, though they may ultimately
be overwhelmed by numbers; for
the Japanese go into the conflict
with their backs, as it were,
against a wall. Their nation has
no hope of independent existence
and progress if they are defeat
ed, and the man that has his
back against the wall is a dang
erous object for any one to tack
lie. Then too, the Japanese re
gard themselves as guardians of
the entire Mongolian race, and
in that sense they realize in their
conflict a moral purpose that in
itself will give the rank and file
courage aud determination. They
have sown within a generation
an ability to absorb the best ideas
of modern civilization without
sacrificing their own philosophic
system, and they feel themselves,
therefore, set apart in a peculiar
way for the enlightment as we'll
as the protection of the five hun
dred million Mongolians. But
good motives alone will not make
a successful fight. Intelligence
has to be mingled with purpose,
and there again the Japanese are
at the advantage.
1t seems as if the present state
of Russian civilization had moth
ing that it could spare of good
qualities to the intelligent Japan
csc. 1t has fewer educated citi-
zens, it has d lower average in
telligence, its maintenance as a
State is based upon force, while
the Russian soldier himself
knows full we'll in the conflict
that his failure will not mean de-
struction of Russia. Of course,
in actual fighting the Russians
will try to kill the Russians; but
against the fiery desperation and
alert intelligence of the Japan
csc, there will be opposed a lack
of enthusiasm among the soldiery
and a stolidity of mind. AS Il
suggested above, mere numbers
may overwhelm the smaller ma
ton, but for those who believe in
national identity and progress,
there can be only one hope as to
the result.
Some endeavor has been made
throughout the United States to
arouse sympathy for Russia in
her conflict with Japan just be-
cause Russia is a Christian nat
ion, that is to say, the religious
organization of the Greek Church
has the same basis of belief as
the Catholic or Protestant church
in this country. The statement
is then made that Japan is a
Pagan nation and that her vic
tory means victory for pagan
ism. 1t seems TO me as though |
this argument is specious and |
spurious one; for religious differ
erences have not had anything
whatever to do with the conflict
and its causes. Japan, by right
of conquest ten years ago had |
gained territory from China, and |
would undoubtedly have under
taken the progressive develop. |
ment of China if undisturbed. |
The chief influence in depriving
Japan of the fruits of her con-
quest was the Russian influence,