The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1904-03-03


The uselessness of the daily papers
tn the man who wants facts was
never made more apparent than since
the Russo Japanese war broke out. In
the cities the cole idea has been 10
get m a sensational line or two ev-
ery hour or SO and spread 1t across
a whole page IN red ink TO increase
the street sales and for the regular
edition print columns or surmises,
gresses and articles by war experts
who knew no more about the sltua-
ton than any other citizen.
The editor Of The Independent has
worked hours IN going over the re-
ports in the dailies in order, IL the
thing were possible, to give a succlnct
an. accurate account of what really
has happened since the war broke out.
He has run across the results OF the
work of several other writer's In the
dailies and high-priced weeklies VINO
have been attempting to do the same
thing and they are all failures. Ev-
erv item of news that has been sent
i from the seat of war has been con-
tradicted over and over again. The
official reports that come from st.
Petersburg. sent out by the Russian
government. do not seem any more
reliable than those from the war cor
respondents.
The Japanese government has ac-
complisned something that no nation
ever did before. 1t has completely
concealed from the knowledge of the
world the movements OF large squad
rons OF the navy and large armies.
It has been able to do this because
of the patriotism OF every Japanese
subject. The newspaper editors Oh
Japan are just as loyal as the men
in the ranks. They will not print
news that might be detrimental TO
their country, although they might
enrich themselves by so doing. IN
this country commercial and sub
sidized press, the ideal OF which IS
that money masking Is the greatest
thing in the world, would not hesitate
to rrint the movement of troops no
matter what the result to the country
might be. If it could only get on Tie
streets first with sensation. a
thousand times The Independent mas
declared that these men have no pa
triotism no country, no politics. in
japan 1t is different and that Is VIVA,
makes that little nation invinelDle.
A, far as The Independent can slit
the contradictory dispatches, the
truth seems 20 be about this: Japan
after declaring war by the withdrawal
~ her minister from st. Petersburg
made a naval attack upon Port Ar
thur and sank or disabled three hus'
star warships, the effective work be-
ina done by torpedo boats, and Their
retired without damage or the loss
of a life Shortly afterwards, tWe
Russian warships were blockdded II
the port of Chemulpo, Korea. The
Japanese admira, sent in word that Il
these ships did not leave port NJ
would come inside and attack then
there. AS these Russian warships
would have better chance Of escape
in the open sea than in a harbor, they
came out and the Japanese sunk then
both since that, there have been sew
eral attacks on Port Arthur by thu
japanese navy, the las, on February
10. WHEu tWO lIlOlc INuochdh WsiohAH
and a torpedo boat were disabled d
sunk.
Where the japanese army is no ont
knows. 1t is said that 10000 Jaranes'
troops have landed in Korea and ar
pushing north toward the Yair rive
which IS the boundary between KoTe
and Manchuria, but is Is very doubt
full whether that Is true or not. TIL
latest rumor is to the effect that tn
Japanese have blockaded Vladivostoo
from the sea and invested it on til
LAND side by landing large force /
a bay just to the south.
Japan has impressed into servie
nearly all its ocean-goins steamers an
many other vessels. All that Ii pos
lively known is that some 10000
troops have. been taken aboard an
the ships have sailed Where the