The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1904-03-03

be the means of averting international
complications of great magnitude in
the future. Until recently the yellow
race has been regarded with some-
thing akin to contempt and the idea
of that race becoming standing
menace to the world has scarcely
been entertained. But the marvellous
changes which have been wrought in
Japan within few years have set
students of history to thinking
For centuries Japan and China have
slept. Not until after Commodore
Perry used some rather harsh insist
ence did Japan even open her ports
to foreign trade. From that time the
renewing of the nation has been so
quietly yet so rapidly done that until
ten years ago nobody thought of Japan
as of any particular account among
the nations of the world. The war
bewteen China and Japan revealed
for the first time to the powers that be
that the Japs had awakened from
their sleep and with all the vigor of
new nation were pressing onward
and upward on the road to power and
influence with the advantage in pur-
suing that way of long ages of ad-
vanced half civilization. Quietly
Japan adopted the methods of the
civilized nations, learning especially
from England and the United States.
The Chinese war proved that modern
ideas of military affairs had been we'll
learned by the sturdy Japs, through
study abroad and the employment of
foreign teachers at home. China was
helpless against the comparatively in
significant numbers of her foe.
Since that struggle Japan's advance
in the arts of both peace and war has
been even more rapid. From navy
that was of no practical value she has
built up fleet of fighting ships
which makes her rank well up among
the great nations of the world. That
she has well learned how to handle
them has been demonstrated during
the few weeks of the present war.
That the Japnese are nation to be
reckoned with now none can question.
But what of China? There are hun.
dreds of millions of people resting
quietly where they rested centuries
ago. Perhaps the leaven of foreign in
huence has begun to work little but
Its effects have not been made appar-
ent. The Japanese and the Chinese
are much like, They are of the same
race, their customs ana traditions,
their inactivity and lack of energy
coupled with a fair advance in the
arts and learning were about the same
until "a few years ago. Now the ques-
ton is inevitable What if China
should undergo the same changes that
Japan has felt What if those count
less millions should again become i'm
bued with the idea that they were not
helpless? What if the Chinese and
the Japanese should become allies III
the present war and japanese officers
should turn their attention to remod-
cling China's army?
The Chinese have been regarded by
most people as meek, timid, and COW.
ardly. But they have not any of
those qualities, say men who have
lived with them. Military experts
say they could make goods oldiers if
properly drilled and prepared for the
work. Then perhaps it is something
more than a matter of present interest
that the foreign powers lend their
support to scheme which will keep
China from engaging in this war and
perhaps realizing her great power.
China's strength, if found out, would
be exerted against the interests OF
every civilized nation. This is the
yellow peril so often spoken of now
adays. 1t is 10 phantasy; it is reality,