The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-03-09

II Manchurla was TO be truly opened
to the world japan would play the old
Kansas trick over again and have her
settlers in the majority. She planned
the peaceful possession of the territory
that her arms had formerly won
November of 1902 came and went,
with Russia still asserting her deter
mination to withdraw from Manchuria
now in the spring of 1903, next in the
fall, and finally the date of October 8
was solemnly set. Mukden, the old
Manchu capital. was next occupied;
her soldiers were pushed successfully
! into new commanding positions; one
week city would be evacuated, only
! to be re-entered a week later. Mr.. Hay
| objected to this fast and loose policy,
| and Russia pointed out that the COM
! ing and going was merely due to NOV
| ing different bodies of troops one after
| another in the process of evacuation.
| Feeling herself strong enough to adj
vance towards Korea she secured tim
ber-cutting privileges on the further
side of the Yalu, and proceeded to send
soldiers thither to guard the wood-cut-
ters against the inevitable brigands.
Japan had patiently waited to this mo-
ment She could endure no longer
Back in April, 1903, her forces were
markedly superior to Russia's. If she
had struck then the advantage would
have been overwhelmingly her own.
But her policy was peace. If Russia
We're honest in keeping ManLhuria open
to the worlds commerce, in her declara-
ton not to wrest it from China and in
her solemn engagement with the Mi
kado to guarantee Korean independ-
ence, well and good. By April of 1908.
h. &I,of
Russia had the slightest intention of
carrying out this program. Every
move she made rendered it absolutely
clear that she meant to hold Manchu-
ria and add to it Korea.
Under these circumstances the pa
thence of Japan is almost inexplcable.
She viewed Manchuria as hers by right
of conquest; when she had restored it to
China she had done so honestly, even
though forced She believed, as Rus
STA at that time had stated, that the
owner of Manchuria must of necessity
both menace Picking and render in
dependence for Korea impossible. To
hold Korea is to control Japan. If
Russia We're to make Manchuria her
own. Japan must abdicate all thought
of larger life-all idea of a career of
worldwide influence. These are AK
IONS in Far Eastern politics.
SIX MONTHS OF TALK
Waiting then three months after last
April until Russia's determination to
own Manchuria could be doubted no
longer, at the end of July 1903, Japan
opened direct communication with her
big rival, signifying her desire to pre-
serve peace by coming to a clear I'M
derstanding with regard to the situa-
ton confronting both nations. Russia
graciously acquiesced. August II the
government made the follow
i'm proposals: % That the two ma
tions respect the independence and ter
ritorial integrity of China and Korea;
CD that they maintain the open door
for the commerce of all nations in both
countries; CD that they recognize re-
ciprocally Japan's preponderating in
terests in Korea ana Russia's in Man
churia, each nation to take means TO
protect those interests without infring-
ing upon the first enga cement; tD that
Russia recognize Japan's exclusive
right to advise and assist Korea in the
interests of reform and good govern
ment: 60 that Russia do not impede
the extension of the Korean railway
through Southern Manchuria to con-
' .
lines
On October 3. fffty-two days later
cote the deIay-Russia presented coun- :
Ter propositions. She declined to re- :
spect the sovereignty and territorial ,
lights of China or to stipulate for the
of the open door; asked
Japan to declare Manchuria and its !
ittoral entirely outside of her sphere,
and proposed = neutral zone in Korea .
north of the 18th parallel, while Japan
must not use that country as STRAIT
egicaI base. This was showing the
Bears claws with a vengeance. Five
lays later, on October s, when she had
promised to evacuate Man ,
,huria. she strengthened her navy in
The Far East and pushed the erection .
If government buildings in several cit
es in that territory. Here was cause