The Elbert County tribune., 1904-02-18
Why Japan Has Our Sympathy.

Whether or not the war between Rus
STA and Japan is so imminent as nov ap
pears, there are facts which should not
be forgotten and which should and will
determine American sympathies in the
event of such a conflict.
| The first OF these relevant facts is that
eight years ago Japan, as the prize Of her
victory over China, demanded and OBJ
tanned by treaty that control of Man
churia which Russia now holds. But
she announced that she was taking it,
not for her exclusive benefit, but for the
common benefit of all mankind. Every
trading nation was welcomed to all the
commercial privileges which by the treaty
she obtained for herself. This was
great step in advance 1t should have
been welcomed by all the trading nations
as it was by all their traders. Great
Britain, as the chief Of the trading nations
and the champion OF "the open door in
the far east, was particularly concerned
to have the treaty made good. Yet when
Russia intervened and previled upon
France and Germany to Intervene with
her To close the door, to tear up the treaty
with China, and to exclude Japan and
all the other trading nations, Great Brit
ain acquiesced. Had she then backed
mp Japan and made with that power
INSTRUMENTATION TO the naval dem
onstrations which the three powers com
mitted to exclusive acquisitions were
making in Oriental waters, il is likely
that Japan would have had her way, to
the great benefit of all mankind, includ-
ing China herself. For it has since ap-
peard that France and Germany were
used simply as cats paws for the benefit
OF Russia. And Russia has clearly
shown that her occupation OF Manchur-
ia was exclusive. Whatever pretenses
she may have made and may still be
making to the contrary, the commercial
statistics of the port OF Niu-Chwang
show to be false.
Another relevant fact is that Russia's
whole course in the far east has been ac-
companied by false pretenses. Tired OF
vague assurances Of evacuation, our state
department last summer obtained treaty
with China, with the assent of Russia,
opening two new Mancburian ports to
American trade, and obtained also a con
firmation Of Russa's previons promise to
evacuate -Chwang and Mukden on
the Sth of October. No sooner had Rus.
sia confirmed this promise to China and
to the world than she began to make
new impossible conditions as precedent
to the evacuation and subsequent to her
agreement to evacuate without condi-
tions. "There she is; there she remains"
%hhNf " "as VI iA'hit W AhlGigf
she chooses the very day on which she
was to evacuate Niu-Chwang for a parade
of the Russian garrison through its
streets by way of Russia's determination
not to keep her word. 1t is an impudent
cynicism Of perfidy which even Russia
had not before attained. She advertises
that she has not shred OF national hon
or and that whoever hereafter accepts
a Russian official ASSURANCE will be a
fool for his pains.
Mankind will accept the notification.
And mankind will sympathize with any
nation which undertakes to bring this
hardened national perjurer to her sense
and teach her that national faith is not
to be broken with impunity. The sym
pathy Of honest and blain-dealing men
and honest and plain dealing nations
will be with Japan as against Russia, and
with the sympathy will go the hope that
Japan will give Russia lesson that at
least the present generation of Russian
statesmen and diplomatists" will not
forget.-New York Times.