The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-02-14

north of the Yellow Sea- replied Senator
Beveridge. The whole country would have
been speedily colonized by Japanese immi-
made 1t a basis for the acquisition of other
parts of North China. Japan is not a large
country. Without Formosa it Is not as big
as California. Nevertheless. it has more
than half as many people as the whole
United States. n its population Is rap
idly increasing. Manchuria would have in.
sured the possession of Korea and would
with China"
"Bu is the country worth fighting
about. Senatorg' ] asked.
Both the Russians and the Japanese
think So" replied Senator Beyeridge. AL
most any nation would think SO. Manchu-
ria il an empire in itself. Do you know
how big it is? 1t has .grain-srowing terri
tory enough to feed the whole of Japan's
forty millions. and it is so rich in coal and
iron that the Japanese would have made
1t a beehive of factories. The country Is
as big as France and Germany combined.
1t Is twice as big as New York. New Jer-
sey. Pennsylvania and New England COM
bined. II quite as rich in natural re-
sources. It's value cannot be estimated"
But, about the Russians, Senator; they
certainly have enough land?'
Have they" replied Senator Beveridge.i
ut would seem so. but many Russians
are not Of this opinion. The Empire
population. but, still they now have
enough room and to spare. But the Rus
SLAMS count time by centuries. not by days,
uring upon the future. They nave a pop
ulaticn now of $40, Geo. Geo, or more than
one,twelfth of all the people in the
World; They are growing by the natural
5000. 900 a year. Without taking into con-
sideration the increase by geometrical
ratio. in ten years there will be 10000
be SOC. 5000 100. Indeed. the Gear will need
more than Manchuria to house them"
COLONIES IN MANCHURIA.
"Wha are the Russians doing there,
senator? Are they really colonizins the
ra IrThsS are ! settling s ssns,d the lEns Of the
MANY of the soldiers bring their wives
and families with them. the railroad Ia
bcTers come to stay. and the result Is
neat Russian villages are " up along
that road in the wilds of the far East. 1
remember stopping at towns on my way
South which had all the improvements OF
modern civilization. There were good
stores. comfortable houses and first class
restaurants with French cooks. The bands
played in the parks on Sunday, and all
this In striking contrast with the mud
houses and filthy streets of the Chinese
towns adjoining them. The Russians arc
building "A commercial port on Talienwan
Bay. md their cities along the Trans
tn. re are towns along that road which
have better department stores tina WASH
ingtcn City"
How many troops AVE the Russians in
Man, huria"'
only the Russians know" replied Sena-
tor Beveridae. 1.-The soldiers nave been
brought in in small parties. but they are
everywhere. 1t was estimated there were
&C. COO in 1900. when I Travelled over the
Chinese Eastern Railroad in 1901 I was
told by a high Military authority that the
soldiers numbered 10000. and they may
have 10000 or even 100000 there to-day.
With the new. railroads thousands more
in Russia is a soldier. and the Cars avail
army numbers millions.
AT tho same time the Japanese troops