Arizona republican., 1904-11-19
The Civilized Power.

The Toronto Telegram, commenting 1 On the assault upon British fishermen in the North Sea, by the commander of the Russian Baltic feet. expresses the opinion that "a comparison between the behavior of the Baltic fleet toward peaceful British fishermen and the be- havicr of Admiral Kamimura's squad ron toward the drowning sailors from the Vladivostok warships suggests that there is more pure religion and undecided in the conduct of heather Japan than in the creed of hcly Rus sia"
 That question. whether Russia or Japan is the civilized nation, Is also discussed by George Kennan in the Outlook. He argues that a civilized country" must have mental and moral culture religious liberty, general re- speet for law. an impartial judicial system. freedom to think and to act within law, and so on. In all these respects Japan Is far ahead of Rus sia.
 As for moral and mental culture, Japan has s2 per cent of her children of school age in the schools, while Rus sia has 25 per cent Russia, with an annual national revenue of about a billion, spends for primary education less than SIP, 100000. CT cents per capi- ta of her whole population, while Ja- pan. with only one-eighth of Russia's fnv $16.OO,OOO yearly, or nearly 34 cents per capita of her whole population. The schools of Russia are largely controlled by the Holy Synod and are directed chiefly to instruction in religion, the catechism and choral church singing. Reading and writing are only inciden- tals. In the primary schools of Japan are taught. geography, arithmetic, read ing, writing, Japanese history, ele mentary science, drawing, singing. gymnastics and Qor the girls) sewing. Tn Japan the instruction is liberal and tolerant in spirit. while in Russia-par- -ticularly in the 10000 schools managed by the Holy Synod-the aim is not so much to awaken and enlighten the mind as to give it a strong bias in fla Yor of the servile virtues, including submission. reverence. loyalty to the czar as the source of all power, and de- votion to a superstitious medieval church. In brief, teaching in the Rus sian schools is largely based on medic val bigotry and superstition; in Japan it is founded on reason.
 A similar difference between the two drawn on other lines. Japan has constitution; Russia. an autocrat. In Japan religious freedom is given to all; in Russia pers ecution is the rule. Ja- pan may be heather" but the fol- lowing instructions from the emperor constitutes pretty good foundation for the purest religion ever revealed to man:
 Be filial to your parents and affec- tionate to your brothers; be loving husbands and wives and true to your friends; conduct yourself with mod esty and be benevolent to all; develop your intellectual faculties and perfect your moral powers by gaining knOwl- cage ana acquiring pFOIeSSlOns pro mote public interests and advance pub lie affairs; ever respect the national constitution and obey the laws of the country and in case of necessity coUr- ageously sacrifice yourselves to the public good"
 Japan has not been a member of civilized nations very long, but she has made wonderful progress. It is to be hoped that she will not soil her re- cord in this war, by unnecessary cruel ty to her enemies that may fall into her hands. Tn her former war with China, the fall of Port Arthur was marked by a barbarous massacre. This should not be repeated. The defenders of Port Arthur have done their duty, and if the Japanese are civilized as their friends hope they are, they will pay due respect and honor to the gal lant fee, in the hour of surrender.