Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-03-14
THE PaoHAeLE OUTCOME.


THE PROBABLE OUTCOME.
70 the Editor OF The Optic:
All the world + specllating as 70
what the outcome OF the hussorJapr
anese var will be. There are 80
many possible complications that il
1t impossible to entertain y a
well grounded opinion On that sub
jsct. But the action OF the United
States government has done very
much to clear up the atmosphere. The
effect of the Hay note TO the world
powers has been to commit ali nations
Including the two belligerenu 10
the policy Of confning the war 70
Korea and Manchuria-of maintain
Ing the integrity OF China and OF Sc
curing the strict neutrality Of all 9th
er nations. II these three condi-
tions are observed the outcome Of the
war may be predicted with a reason
able degree or certainty.
The japanese went into the war
for the purpose OF keeping Korea
within their sphere Of influence, q
condition which was clearly threat
ened By The a~ggressions Of Russia.
They consider that the control Of
Korea Is necessary 10 their national
existence. IL Russia had obtained
control Of Korea it would have made
Russian power and influence supreme
In the Yellow sea, and on the Japan
sea. The whole Korean coast would
have been fortified by Russian gar
%risons and defended by the Russian
navy, and Japan would have been cut
OF from Asia. Indeed the mex step,
and an easy step, would be the absorp-
tion Of Japan itself by Russia. II Rus
control Of Manchuria win railroads
all completed so as to make IL a basis
. OF operations its power in Korea
would have been irresistible. Ii was
the manifest policy of Japan 70 take
! possession of Korea while Ii could.
!. II Is not the policy OF Japan TO make
an aggressive war against Russia Or
TO drive Russia out of Manchuria, II
Japan could have gotten any assur-
ance that Russia would let Korea
alone and confine It's operations 10
Manchuria there would have been
no war. The whole desire Of the
war as far as Japan Is concerned is to
defend It's interests In Korea. Now
!. was her time. She has the advantage
OF water transportation while Rus
sia has 10 transport everything over
!. 5000 miles by one road in winter.
think we shall see that Japan will
. rush an army Of soldiers 10 the north
!, border Of Korea and fortify the whole
Korean border and at the same time
!, fortify every Korean harbor. It vii
rush ID any army OF laborers to build
. forts and railroads. In a few
months ii will have a railroad the
whole length Of the Korean peninsula
|, and a cross railroad from Shemulpc
!. to Seoul and probably on to the west
! ern coast near vladiyostok, and then
IL will fight the immense army OF the
Great Bear on the defensive. II neces
sary 1t will fight the field over inch By
inch until Russia will be glad to quit
In the meantime Japan will have the
!. adyantage--the very great ~adgantage
!, -of being near home. OF having an
unassailable base. OF having the sym
pathy Of the people Of the country
OF being well fortified and Of fighting
on the defensive. With these advant
ages Russia never al drive them
out OF Korea. The only offensive
move that japan III apt to make will
be the taking OF Psrt Arthur. It i I
I. matter OF national pride with Japan
TO retake that harbor and make il its
4 chief defense against the aggressions
y OF Russia. It may fail in that but
with the whole Korean coast under
Its control II wiiitnot materially AFFECT
Its main object
al AN OLD SOLDIER.