The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1904-02-25

their native State and their own times,
but they belong to all time and to the
universal brotherhood Of man. Strug-
Cling men in this genera tion may look
to those great ones and gather strength
| in their efforts to accomplish worthy
MISUNDERSTANDING such noble
lives.
Frederick A. Salaman.
Rooms 1865, Vincent Building, New
! York City.
THE RUSSIAN IN HISTORY.
Why American Sympathy Should Lie
With Japan I'm 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 it
that relates to Russia, can sympathiZe
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 ma
tion Of the two. From it's 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 in 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, record Of tyranny, oppression
and duplicity that almost surpasses be-
lief. 1t 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,
| toll 0f "a
Sweden was practically forced to cede
Finland to Russia, the latter country
pledged itself that it would not inter-
| fere with the language or local gov
ernment of the people. This promise
has been most shamefully violated, and
the virtuous, enlightened and patriotic
Firms have been subjected to almost
every indignity 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
no offense whatever, at least nothing
that would be considered such in a ciY-
ilized 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 ex
cusable in the dark ages.
| There is something almost farcical in
the attitude that Russia assumes as
the champion of civilization and Chris
tianity, for she stands in sore need Of
civilization herself and, in act at least
is a stranger to the precepts Of Chris
tianity. What was the conduct of the
Russian troops during the recent trou-
BILE in China? Looting by wholesale
and the murder of thousands Of help
less and inoffensive Chinese, driving
them into deep river just as if they
were wild beasts. While the Russians
were acting like savages, the Japanese
| troops maintained their splendid dis
cipline, and returned to their own
country with clean hands and with
out single blot upon their record. But
putting all other questions aside, Rus
Sia 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
it's land area.
1t is very easy to make comparisons.
but the present struggle is being waged
under conditions that have never here
tofore existed. In the South African
war England had to transport troops
/ and munitions of war 5000 miles, but
there was not a hostile vessel to inter-
fere with her transports. 1t will be i'm
possible for Russia to send 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-
! has dorooOafra faS that sim
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 to the Rhine and
about the same number in the direc-
ton of the frontier, facing Russia. In
case Of hostiltties 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-tenth that number in Man.
churia. Unless something entirely un-
expected happens Russia will be con-
fronted with very much the same con-
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, Vget
them to the front quick enough. This
| being the case, bafied but not crushed,
| she had to accept the terms offered by
! France and England Japan cannot.
Of course, exhaust the resources of
Russia but stands good chance of
exhausting all the resources that Rus
| Sia can make available.
To call this war struggle between
Christianity and heathenism is the
veriest nonsense. Russia today is more
barrier to the propagation of Chris
tianity than is Japan, for a nation, just
as it with an individual, that processes
to be Christian and who, at the same
time does the greatest violence to the
! teachings ofhihe Master. is a greater
enefas So-Ct f$esio~s;~H -efrsr-r an avower9
diSbeliever. IF It could nn accomplished
without bloodshed the partition OF ;hr
Russian empire would b" a tremendous
gain for the cause of civilization. for
! then the Russian people, sle"pcd in
| dense ignorance and ground beneath
! the heel Of an iron deSpo,ism. would
! breathe the air Of freedom and hapni-
ness and be given the opportunity to
emerge from a position that is but lit
tie superior to that Of the beasts OF
the field.
! The people of the south at least ought
! to hold in everlasting remembrance the
fact that while they were engaged IN
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