The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-07-29
public opinion and speak III, t,utA.

public opinion ana speak the butA.
Thus Mr.. Golden said, TT 10 by love of
improvement-ths security given by
law to life and pr~operty-but above all
owing to the encouragement afforded
to commerce. h a his empire has.
forth from her frozen regions to hold a
first rank among the nations of
Europe" See Angus Hamilton in April
Edinburgh Review.
When tributes like these are paid to
Russian civilization and progress by
Englishmen of such rank. having all
the prejudice OF q nation in deadly
hostility to Russia, the frothy articles
about Russian violence, despotism, de-
cadence n ~retrogression are amusing
indeed. Her progres since these words
were written has been ever more rapid.
OF course great abuses still exist, but
In so vast a country with SO great a
population quickly brought from semi
barbarism to civilization, all cannot be
accomplished in a day. The higher
classes are men and women of the
highest culture, deeply imbued with the
national feeling, having the interests
of all her people deeply at heart, and
under their leadership, Russia is NOV
ing steadily forward in nearly all that
makes a nation great.
The great progress of Japan is a
popular fund of conversation. and 1t
- 81 ma Japan lidS lildUe great pro-
gress, but the most of it is govern
mental and has little effect upon the
people themselves. The japanese. like
their ancestors AVA back, are great
imitators. and the government has
learned that certain features of civili-
lauoil are as good weapons as krupp
guns and naval armament. Japan has
adopted he weapons and some of the
veneer of civilization. but how far has
IT sunk into the heart and lives of the
mass of her people? She now proposes
to adopt Christianity in the same man
ner n for the same purpose that
she adopted the German drill regula-
lions and copied the British naval es-
adjustment. Before Japan can make
more progress in real civilization her
whole social system must have a
thorough renovation. 1t is the worst in
me world. Those who boast of her
progress do not tell what becomes Of
the single women in Japan or why there
are no old maids there.
ellison Willetts in the Outlook of Ma
Is says. In comparing Russian with
character the popular view
point overlooks two important in
fluences that prevail in Russia and are
utterly lacking In Japar-wolnen and
music. Women have no recognized
place in the japanese scheme of exist
ence, and to the japanese the emotional
effect of Il chord of music is unknown.'
He might also nave added religion. In
me japanese language there is no word
ma corresponds to our word. home"
Mr.. Willetts speaks at length of the
essentially religious. home-loving and
musical traits of the Russian character.
ana says there Is no sight more inspir-
ing than a Russian army camp after a
hard days march, singing their relig-
ious and patriotic songs.
Under the London date line much is
IFytft61 .aN-ayyy FN,y ---
ular uprising in Russia. but read MIR.
Willetts, or Mr.. Stead or Senator Beve-
ridge in his Russian Advance" or
Michael Davitt in The Sioux CITY Trib-
n of June II, and see how baseless is
the English hope. The Russian peo-
PIE are as loyal and patriotic as any in
the world and there is no more danger
OF an uprising in Russia than there is
IN England. The confidence in Europe
In the stability of the Russian govern-
men Is shown by the fact that Russia
able to make her recent loan on
much more favorable terms than that
made by Japan
AS a mere matter of sentiment, how
an American can prefer the foreign
looking, impressive. uncanny, rat-like
Vlsages of the Japanese to the open,
manly, Anglo-Saxon faces of Russians,
brothers OF the same race and religion,
moved by the same impulses and ambi-
SASAaSb 10 pdSS comprehension.
But" say the practical man. "con-
ceding all that has been said, this is
not a case for sympathy or sentiment.
Our interests are with Japan. Russia
would exclude us from Manchurian
trade While Japan stands for the open
door, Our commercial interests de-
mand that we unite with Japan to pre-
the world"
Returning to the courtesy of con-
ceding all these premises, is the con-
clusion warranted from the facts
There are other things to he consid-
cred. The Japanese are flatteringly !
They are great imitators. They have
great skill with the hands. They have
made great progress With the textile
arts and manufactures during the past
few years. In ten years they have
increased their foreign trade.
aney must rely more and more in the
future on their manufactures and COM
merce. They are TO- 900 miles nearer
to Asia than we are. They are Asiatics
themselves and understand the oriental
traits of character. They have the
cheapest labor in the world, unless it be
are building up a rival which Will
sooner or later undermine us, and fur
nishing him a field from which we win
be excluded? This is the real yellow
Peril compared with which the
"pauper labor of Europe" would be
nothing. On the other hand. as Count
has pointed out, in the NAV
North American Review, Russia is a
of peasants. She exports raw
materials and buys manufactured ar
ticles. With the old time friendship
between Russia and America, there
could be the fullest reciprocity in nur
trade relations, and With Japan X
and Russian influence para
mount In Manchuria and Korea. THIS
ountry would enjoy almost q n%ronopoly
of their trade AS Major Webb has
in the Metropolitan Magazine
for May, one cause of Russia's long
for America, her sale to us
Of Alaska. has been to and
built up a commercial rival to Eng
and, a policy which she has consistent
y pursued since the days Of our rev
olutton. From such an alliance we
could not help but receive the greatest
n a reversal OF this policy Is
pound to be disastrous.
1t is too early to predict the result of
the conflict. AS in the Boer war the
newspapers may yet have to revise
heir paragraphs and cartoons. The
Russians We're caught unprepared but
are already learning their lesson.
They have the best fighting material i'm
the world. What the japanese are
doing In this war the Russians have
done in every war during the past two
hundred wears The Radon 49, ,1.,.aee