The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1904-12-23
New ,nternat;ona, Aiionments.

Philadelphia Ledger: 1t is an old and
trite saying that every war. no matter
how slight, changes the map of the world.
and it might be added as corollary that
every international conflict brings about a
among the powers of even greater moment
than the modification of frontier lines.
Such a transformation is taking place to-
day. mainly as result of the terrible war
being waged by Japanese and Muscovites
to determine their spheres of influence IN
the far east but that change is by no
means confined to Asia. Its influences are
already visible in Europ I'd before the
statesmen of the world finally take
account of the results me war those
influences may affect the new world as
well as the old.
Events covering less than a year have
wrought many notifications in the value
and significance of European alliances.
Sir ,e the Anglo-French understanding has
been ripened and rengthened, and Ger
manTs relations with Russia have grown
more intimate, the real import OF Frances
alliance with Russia has been materially
altered. The bond which few years
ago was greeted with a deirium of JOY
by France. then isolated through the drie-
bund and friction with England, COM
mands today different loyalty from
Frenchmen, loyalty in which questions
of prudence and high finance figure large
ly. Moreover. Germanys sympathy and
Friendship for Russia and the cause of
autocracy, and the strained relations of
Italy and Austria, have given new aspect
to the triple alliance, a defensive compact
planned originally as a check to Russian
aggression.
In the meantime, with these changes go
ing On IN Europe, the war in Asia is
bringing closer the possibility of even
moro, pCrtentious readjustments. Japan is
Vocng :Sappointmcnt at the course of
her British ally in making possible, or at
least facilitating through commercial
cupidity, the rapid progress of the Russian
naval reinforcements. Japan's command
of the Sea-hor ability TO protect the line
of transports through which acne she can
feed and maintain her armies in Man
chura--iS absolutely essential TO her. and
this tremendous stake may be put to the
SSue of a single battle at sea. If Admiral
Togos squadron, his men worn by the
strain of ten months of active service at
sea, fails to annihila;e Rojestvcnsky's bat
tleships and cruisers. Japan will not be
without justiiica ton for the charge that
Great Britain has basely betrayed her
Then, in the new disposition of forces in
the far east. who can blame the japanese
If they consent to Russia s policy and re-
serve the prize of commercial supremacy
in eastern Asia to the two powers that
have paid the price of blood and treasure =?
Englshmen are only just beginning to
realize that the vital cr::iS of the war is a t
hand, and that Russia's triumph at sea
would mean not only overwhelming dis
aSter to Japan's land forces and the ter
minaton Of the conflict. with Russia as
the dictator of the terms. but irreparable
| injury to British commercial interests.
America is equally concerned in the main
tenance of the open door" but Great
Britain has to decided-and that very soon
i the larger question. whether, having per-
| mitted her colliery owners to furnish
| Welsh coal in enormous quantities to Rus
STA. and having allowed the Baltic squad
| ron to coal in the neutral port a the Med
| iterranean end of the SueZ canal, she shall
| now stand by and see her ally crushed by
| that same Baltic squadron. 1t is not a
| situation in which patriotic Englishmen
| can take pride, nor is the prospect for the
| avoidance of fresh international compli-
| cations reassuring one: but the fact re-
mains that new alliances, backed with
| the power to enforce them, may very soon
change the whole complexion of affairs in
| the far east, and affect the commercial
I and political Intercourse of all the great
|