The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-04-09
A RUSSIAN RIFLE IN THIBET.

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 Guru in Thibet can mean very little if anything to the casual reader or the student even. It is likely to become very much better known and will doubtless take a conspicuous place in history. In the encounter there on March 31st be- tween the Thibetan army and the British expeditionary force under General Mac donald Accompanying Colonel Younghus- bands political mission as guard. there would be less significance but for one with rifles bearing the Russian Imperial stamp. A dead Thibetan lying on that great mountain plateau with Russian rife at his side reveals a new stage in the long duel between Russia and Eng land for predominance in Asia. The timed her Younghusband expedition counting upon Russia's being involved in war with Japan and so helpless in any effort to repel her ancient enemy The truth Is the vieeroy of India had planned and dispatched the force long before any statesman in Europe had reason to anti- cipate the war now being waged on the borders of Manchuria The causes are deeper than any temporary embarrass- ment in which Russia now finds herself The invasion of Thibet-and it is nothing short of an invasion-is- just a further sign of the encroachments going on all over the world where civilized power Is in contact with a barbarous or semi barabarous people. England has been for a century and more pushing slowly north ward and during the same period the Russians have been encroaching south ward. The rife in the dead Thibetan's hands shows the Slav and the Saxon had come within all but striking distance of each other England has needed one new buffer state after another to guard her Indian frontier; Russia has felt like need In protecting her Siberian borders in Asia. We know now what is to be the fate of Thibet. It is bound to be pulverized by the impact of giant forces. Thibet. 1t Is true. is nearly three times as large as the State of Texas, It Is nearly one-fourth as large as the United States. It is thus a great prize in the final division of the earth's sur face now going on. One of the most ancient of governments. it has not within the period of modern history known much of the worlds progress and violence has not been visited upon the country and it's people by any alien race. Thibet 1t maybe said not Korea is now the true l Hermit Kingdom. Thibet abhors foreign CTS. Within the past few years, the Englishman Landon, ventured under the | most slsilful disguises to profane Lhasa Gods ground) with his heather footstep and barely escaped with his life after being subjected to almost uncomfortable tortures. Hitherto the Thibetans have been approached with all Oriental courte- | sy and with many salaams The man with gun was kept in the far rear, out of sight. He has now been brought up and finds himself confronted with still other guns brought down from Russia. Eng land may draw back temporarily; the condition of politics at home, may com pei this. The slaughter at Guru, how ever. as little means as Plassey, or Quebec meant, that our English cousin will withhold his hand from the plough. Thibet Is a good buffer State for India. There is a rich trade there too, awaiting development. The Englishman knows Russia will surely seize and .monopolize this trade if he does not. It remains to be shown that an Englishman quits with millions of good bargains in sight. The sympathies of the world will go out to the poor Thibetans as matter of course. The world always pours out it's sympa- thies on the vanquished and pundered when the world itself Is not the con- queror and plunderer. For ourselves we rarely fail to feel resigned when we see our race extending its. dominion in any quarter of the globe, being assured that what our race neglects some other will certainly profit by. Russia is now in Man churia, England has put paw on Thibet. Some of us will live to see whether Rus sia can stay in Manchuria and some doubtless, will live to see the event as Thibet struggles to break away from the clutch of England.
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