The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-01-21
Japan's Stand for Anglo-Saxon-
ism,

A small group sat at lunch in a
Minneapolis cafe the other day, when
the ever-recurring topic of the pros
pect of war in the orient came up.
One man called for vote on whether
those present would favor armed in
PREVENTION by the United States to
protect our commercial rights In China
in case they were denied by Russia.
Six of the eight were old soldiers.
Several Of them freely expressed
themselves as opposed to war on such
grounds. They had seen a good deal
Of war, they knew what it meant,
and they did not think a mere ques-
ton of commercial privilege or right
should be allowed to involve this ma
i ton in war with Russia. One, was
noncommittal-said he had not
} thought the matter out yet-while the
man who submitted the proposition,
and who had been a soldier himself,
said that he should favor war if Rus
STA put any Sights upon the old flag.
Doubtless this question has pre-
scented itself to a good many people
Wien lHey have 1OllOWeu the story OF
events in the east and have observed
the disposition of the Russian bear
not only to encroach upon the terri
tory and the sovereignty of China and
threaten the safety of Japan, but to
disregard. all promises for the free
dom of trade and equal privilege COM
mercially for other nations in all parts
of China. .-....,.
This question of the rights Of Amer
lean trade, the safety of American
travellers, and the protection of Amer
lean citizens abroad, is one which
presents itself in somewhat new as
poets since our interests have become
so important and extensive in the east
We are beginning to realize under the
exigencies of this Russo-Japanese
controversy something of what it
means to be world power and how
world powers become involved I'M
avoidably in controversies not of their
seeking. Just now we are deriving
great satisfaction from the evident
disturbance in Russian councils pro-
duced by the ratification of our new
Chinese treaty. The utter disregard
by the United States of the claims of
Russia to Manchuria, and the COM
pletion and the signature of that
treaty on the very day on which Rus
STA promised to evacuate Manchurfa
mas set the Russian to wondering
whether if, after all, the war would
certainly be confined to a fight with
Japan; whether he can safely ignore
the promises made to the United
States, and whether he can traniple
upon the agreement as to Manchuria
as well as to the rest of China made
by the United States with the Chinese
government.
It looks to-day as if a very powerful
factor for the preservation of peace in.
the Orient is the fear on the part of
Russia that conflict with Japan, the
assertion of control over Manchuria,
and disregard by Russia Of American
rights and interests provided for in
that treaty, mayanot involve the United
States In that controversy. 1t proba-
bly, would -not,--and yet the Russian
cannot appreciate the reluctance with
which the American goes to war, and
is properly cautious not to provoke
him to do so.
There is every reason why the SYM
pathy and the moral support at least
of the United States should be on the
side of. Japan. Japan is fighting our
battle. Japan stands for Anglo-Sax-
onism and for western civilization in