Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-13

Pennsylvania and New England combined
and quite as rich in natural resources. lis
value cannot be estimated"
The Russian Peril.
But. about the Russians, senator; they
certainly have enough landf'
Have they?" replied Senator Bever-
idge. TT would seem so, but many Rus
SLAMS count time by centuries. not by days,
empire is not fitted to support great
population, but still they now have
enough room and to spare But the Rus
sans count time by centuries. not by days,
months and weeks. They are always fig
urlng upon the future. They have pop
ulation now of 140,000.00O, or more than
one-twelfth of all the people In the
world. They are growing by the natural
process of reproduction at the rate OF
5000 900 a year. Without taking into con-
sideration the increase by geometrical
ratio, in ten years there will be 100000.
COO Russians, and in fifty years there Will
be 300, 000 900. Indeed, the ear will need
more than Manchuria to house Them
Colonies in Manchuria.
What are the Russians doing there,
senator? Are they really colonizing the
country"
"They are settling along the line of the
railroad" replied Senator Beveridge.
Many Of the soldiers bring their wives
borers come to stay, and the result Is
neat Russian villages are growing up along
that road in the wilds of the far east. l
remember stopping at towns on my way
south which had all the improvements of
modern civilization There were good stores,
comfortable houses and first-class restau-
rants with French cooks. The bands play
ed in the parks on Sunday, and all this
in striking contrast with the mud houses
and filthy streets of the Chinese towns ad
ni1in hnp, PrJcc ava hl1i1d ine
commercial port on Talienwan bay, and
their cities along the Trans-Siberian road
are rapidly growing Indeed, there are
towns along that road which have better
department stores than Washington city,"
The Cars Manchurian Army
How many troops have the Russians in
Manchuria?
"Only the Russians know" replied Sena-
tor Beveridge. THE soldiers have been
brought in in small parties, but they are
everywhere. 1t was estimated there were
600C0 in 1900. When 1 travelled over the
Chinese Eastern railroad in 1901 I was
told by high military authority that the
soldiers numbered 10000, and they may
have 100000 or even 100000 there today
With the new railroads thousands more can
be rushed in. AS you know, every man in
Russia is soldier. and the cars available
army numbers millions
Inc war Religious One.
AT the same time the Japanese troops are
thoroughly well organized. There are no
better soldiers anywhere and no Drawer.
On the one side the Japanese are fighting
for their homes and on the other the Rus
SLAMS are fighting at the orders Of their
father, the car, and at the same time in
the belief that it is their duty to carry the
cross into China and thus Christianlze the
far east That is point that is not gen
orally considered, but l am told the Rus-
slams believe that it is their destiny to
spread their religion over all Asia
Uncle Sans Policy.
'In the trouble between Japan and Rus
STA, what should be the policy of the United
States?'
ut should be that Of friendly neutral
ity.' replied the senator. I'VE are in the
happy condition of being the closest friend
of each nation. The Russians have a SEN
timental as well as a real friendship for
us and so have the Japanese. Russia was
our friend at the time Of the revolution
1t aided us during the civil war, and 1t sold
Alaska to us in preference to any other
nation. In return we have done many
things to cement this friendship and
pecially so during the famine of few
years ago. The Russians are appreciative
and today, Notwithstanding the efforts of
other nations to make the United States
Russia's enemy. we are its strongest
friend.
TT is the same with Japan. Commodore
Perry, one of our naval officers, opened
up that country to modern civilization, and
since then we have always been fair and
liberal in our dealings with 1t. In our dip
lomatic negotiations we have asked less
than other nations and given mo e. The
result is that Japan regards the United
States as her friend, and If the fight be-
tween her and Russia is carried to a finish
we shall be in a position to take advantage
of the situation then, whatever 1t may be.
If any nation is to receive anything from
left OUT
Ito and Witte.
you have met both Count Ito of Japan
and Sergius Witte of Russia, the greatest
men of the two nations, Senator Beveridge?
Tell me about them?"
Physically they are as far apart as the
poles" replied Senator Beveridge. Count
Ito is dark, short and stocky. Mr.. Wtte is
rosy checked tall, but broad shouldered.
Both men are very great and very quiet. l
should say that Ito is perhaps the greatest
Asiatic now living, and I think one might
say that White is the greatest Slav. Ito ls
the creator of modern Japan. He wrote
the constitution. and he has been the adj
wiser OF the mikado since it was enacted.
He is cool, calculating, conservative and
perfectly fearless. Al the same time he is
as simple as u child.
"Sergius White is also simple. In fact, all
really great men are unoStentatious. 1t ID
only the little fellow in big place who puts
on airs Mr.. Wittc makes you at home and
talks to you in low, quiet way, which is
very impressive. You cannot help seeing
that he is great, nor feeling so when you
realize what he has done. He started life
as a railroad clerk at Odessa and rose to be
manager of the railroads of that part Of the
country. He was taken to St. Petersburg
and given charge of the railroads of the
empire and then made minister of finance
and the right hand of the car. 1t Is largely
due to him that the Trans Siberian road
was built so quickly. He has put the en-
pire on a sound financial basis, and he Is
today the power behind the throne as to
most matters in the Far East. He Is a
brood Gauge man He sees the whole world