The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1904-01-22
JAPAN AND RUSSIA.

A settlement of the immediate ques-
ton between Japan and Russia. by the
j extension of reciprocal freedom of ac-
ton to Russia in Manchuria and to
Jaban in Korea. in the nature of things
could only be temporary The vital is
sue, in which all civilized powers, and
especially the United States and Great
! Britain, are interested, and which in
the future is of the greatest moment to
Japan itself, would still remain I'M
solved.
A careful examination OF the map nj
Asia, in it's relation to the progressive
| world will demonstrate the accuracy of
| this proposition. Asia includes about
one-third of the dry land upon the
globe, extending from the Arctic circle
to the equator, and one hundred and
sixty-five degrees of longitude. Large
portions of its surface have already
been appropriated or brought within
the sphere of influence" of European
nations. The heterogeneous empire OF
China, covering one-fifth or whereabouts
Aof the habitable part of the earth, be-
tween the Himalayan mountains ana
| the Eastern and Yellow Seas, is I'M
doubtedly to be the center of the com
mercial and intellectual activity, which
great and progressive statesmen and
observing and thoughtful men in all
spheres of life are anticipating, and
which is destined rapidly to establish
the supremacy of the Pacific.
The Chinese government, antique and
externally despotic, is in reality rope
of sand. The authority centered at
Picking, apparently rigid and inelastic.
and invested with the gorgeousness and
endless elaboration of the East. never
theless exerts little pressure upon the
! bulk of the enormous population of the
! empire, which, in the ultimate analysis,
has one local ruler to n million OF IN
habitants. The system, If such it NAV
be called, is simply a rigid shell, thin
to attenuation, and enclosing elements
that already begin to ferment in the
| light and heat of the Twentieth Cen
| fury. That a change Will occur ana
that the wall of partition between 4
threadbare antiquity and advancing
civilization will speedily be broken
down, are evident facts. Under these
conditions, the predominance of the
Muscovite or of enlightened nations.
representing dominant races, is the
pivot of permanent adjustment. Japan
is clearly to be ranked with Teutonic
aspirations and movements.
Korea is a peninsula between the
Yellow and the Japan seas, lying face
to face with Japan, and at it's south
western end approaching the south
eastern extremity of the Japanese EN-
pire, with free access to the North Pa
| cific Ocean. About the only practical
| result that accrued to Japan, as the
result of it's war with China, ten years
ago, was the substantial transference
| of effective influence to the island gov
eminent. 1t was Russia that interfered
| then to minimize the Japanese victory.
1t has been Russia that, ever since,
while pushing it's designs in Manchuria,
has engaged in a desperate political
struggle against Japan in the peninsula.
| Japan needs openings for its surplus
population and, just now, the Korean
branch of the controversy may have the
| greatest Importance. But it is Man
| churia that is the key to the whole
Chinese situation, and it is in that Chi
nese dependency that the door to conf
merce and it's influences, and to the
spread of Japanese development, NOV
| ing in unison with the United States
and Great Britain and other leading
powers, must finally be opened or clos
| ed.
| In possession of Manchuria, with the
vast Monaghan desert on the south and
west, with the port of Vladivostok di-
rectly opposite to Hakodade, and the
Asiatic part of its huge territory on the
north, Russia will occupy an almost
impregnable position and will hold
Picking at it's merdy. The destiny of the
Chinese Empire and the international
conflict between monopoly and free
dom, therefore, are plainly involved in
the discussion now proceeding between
the two empires, and no durable peace
can be attained by the proposed adjust
ment, as cabled. Russia will have TO
settle with other powers, as we'll as
with Japan, before the Gear can rule
out the remainder of the world and be-
come the arbiter of Chinese destiny.
Meanwhile, the most accurate observers
and thinkers in the United States and
in Europe scent great danger, through
the lack of prompt and decisive action,
| in the opportunity for preparation that
delay secures to Russia. If these opill-
| ions are to be estimated, as they de-
serve, it appears that mature public
sentiment in Japan, which recently
broke all precedents and compelled the
dissolution of the Japanese Parliament,
is in advance of the administration of
the government.
Joseph Chamberlain will have to sue
Ill Of all