The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-04-07

no selfish interest beyond the expansion
of Japanese trade. which will follow Jap
anese successes. But he is Japanese be-
fore he is a millionaire, just as the coole
is a Japanese before he is a coolie.
Even as for nine years this people have
looked forward to war with Russia as a
set eventuality of the same kind as final
examinations to the student, they now
look forward to a long campaign which
shall test their resources and patience.
So they settle down to their sinister pro-
gramme In month the news Of con-
hct has become set part of national
life The treasury plans for a two or
three years campaign with the same in
clusiveness of all possibilities as the gem
eral staff Heavy shipments of gold may
affect the confidence of foreigners, of
course; it was foreign exchange that sent
the gold abroad. Square-jawed Japanese
composure In this. as in its naval strate-
gy knows its work and the wherewithal
for doing it,
The proposition to raise the taxes brings
no more sign of opposition than the emer-
gency expenses of sickness to family;
for everybody knew years ago that with
the certain war increased revenue would
be necessary. Heavy taxation was a
thing to be expected. as much as heat
IN summer and cold in winter. The secret
of the universal sacrifice is the emperor
himself. In America, where the abund-
ant resources have yielded vast fortunes
for some and great prosperity for all who
are energetic, few ever think OF how
much the nation has done for us. The
japanese go further than this In a land
where every mouthful of food comes
grudgingly from the earth. there is a
sweet temper grateful for small favors.
+ Scratch your man of position deep, and
you find that with the humble classes he
feels the paternity of the empire as the
subject of no other nation can and does.
Instead thanking fortune for luck or
prosperity, or for the daily bread you
earn by the sweat of your brow, this peo-
Pile thank the emperor. When Admiral
Togo, in response to an imperial message,
says, I'VE are grateful that almost all
the officers and men who undertook the
task returned safely by the unseen power
of protection of your illustrious majesty"
the phrasing means the same as our
thanks to God for success The emperor
gave them the land and national life so
that all herosm is merely paying a debt
of love and gratitude. The Japanese idea
of the joys of eternal life is limited to the
joy of dying for his land. Beyond the
grave he expects none of the rewards
which excite the courage of the Turks.
Resembles Early Struggles.
III one respect tlliS VIII 10 tdIIyllB us
back to the days when unconquered new
worlds We're plentiful and England,
France, Spain and Holland fought bat
ties over distant provinces. which were no
sooner occupied than they changed own
ers The taking of either enemy's capital is
as much out of the question as in the war
of the English and French for supremacy
in North America. Russia throughout. her
great domain may go on with her home
..-ff. Il
defeat will bring the war to her doors.
From her own resources she too can feed
and clothe her army in the field. and she,
too, can borrow of herself. But to her
Manchuria is distant in the mater self
interests which make Korea very near to
Japan.
These considerations, which are borne
in upon us with renewed force a month
after the war has begun, when not even
sSirmish ION land has occurred, may
make the weeks that we have waited here
in Toxic for passes to join the advancing
columns only the two-line prologue OF a
great drama In Toxic we get less news,
we know far less of the war than you at
home. Our sources are crops of rumors
and the official accounts published in
the daily papers. Ever since the 18th of
February the hope that we may go soon,
very soon, has been held out to us by
port. AS we do not know where the
armies are going to land tor have landed
we can not preoede them, IL we would.
You may hear one day that 100, 600 men
have already left the islands; the next
day the number has gone down to $4,000
or up TO $50 900. There is TO be one great
force moving north from Korea, accord
ing toaone rumor; there are to be armies
advancing on Yladivostock and Port Ar
thur, and from the Yalu at the same
time, according to another The whole
truth is known to smiling Baron Kodama,
who has at his fingers ends all details
and the buttons that he may press to have
his orders executed. But the siluation is
not unusual Our public was In the dark
six years ago when transports were
waiting at Tampa, and the army Of cor
respondents was consumed in the fire OF
its own curiosity. This is the period of
plans for the army and of impotence for
the correspondents; the period Of action
for both Is coming. The man who starts
from New York a month hence may be
in time for the first great battle.
The correspondents in Tampa had the
privilege of receiving the rumors in their
own language. not in one which Is so
difficult in its reading. If comparatively
easy in speaking, that not more than
twenty men in Japan can get sense out
Of newspaper report. You get nothing
direct You are as dependent upon an
interpreter for your knowledge as you
are upon a cook for your food In the
government offices arc few who speak
foreign language. At the general staff
If Captain Tanaka. who should be famous
the world over, II he is not already. He
surprises linguists by his command of
languages, attaches by his military knowl-
edge diplomatists by his diplomacy, and
correspondents by his mastery Of human
natiir,.
Tanaka as He Is.
In height, Tanaka is five feet two or
three inches. and he is as erect as a Ger
man drill sergeant. He Is never absent
from the staff office, and the instant you
send in your card he appears, coming
smartly along the hail. smiling as II 1t
was the greatest pleasure in the world
to meet men who are after favors. He
can understand any kind of English from
Shoredtch TO Glasgow from Mississippi
to Maine Tie remembers the correspon-
dents name the first time he hears it,
and all who are employed on the same
paper. Americans say he is a good Am
erican Engllshmen that he is good
Englishman. He laughs with his alert
swapping eyes, which find something of
interest in the most trivial things Some
acute men think that they have quizzed
Tanaka to a purpose. My opinion is that
fTanaka was only having a lark with
them.
He knows a joke even when II Is subtle
as readily as he knows whether or not
You have read military history. We even
Jolly him a little, and he takes it in
good part. He may get tired. like com
mon mortals; but I have never seen him
when he would not brow back his head