Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1904-06-16

THE ~xEkkOW FEnAA'
GRAFTON or
WILLIAM F. HENRY
AT CHARLOTTE HALL ACADEMY,
June 9, 1904.
June Q, 1904.


leading journals call by the rather
sensational title of the Yellow
Peril''-that is, will the Chinese
and the Japanese, the two principal
divisions of the yellow race, unite
and with their combined forces ex-
pei from their own countries all
white people. and by degrees con-
quer and take possession OF the en-
tire European continent?
In anticipation Of some such move
ment, we are told, the great Powers
are keeping a close watch on the
present situation. in order that they
may exert their influence TO keep it
within certain reasonable limits
should victory perch upon the ban
ners of the indefatigable Japs. In
order TO terminate the present strug-
gle one OF three things must take
place. Either the Powers will in
terfere in the interest OF humanity,
and thus deprive either nation of
any excessive demands upon the
other in case Of success, or one or
the other OF the combatants will con-
troll in the East. Should the first ,of
these alternatives come to pass, and
this is of the three far the most like
ly TO occur, then the whole question
falls TO the ground and the imminent
danger with the bright colored name
will have passed. But should the
unexpected happen aud these two
nations be allowed to fight it out, then
we shall still have to decide wheth-
er we have more to fear from the SUI
premacy OF Japan or Russia, and al
though it would require much great
er experience than mine to dimly
foreshadow the probable outcome, it
may not be out of place here to con-
slider a few of the well known points
OF strength and weakness of the res
pective countries.
Russia, including within her boun-
dries one sixth of the land surface
of the globe, islfifty times as large as
Japan, with.an army nearly ten times
as great and has the prestige OF many
we'll fought battles against the vete-
ran troops of enlightened Europe.
On the other hand. she is troubled
with many dissensions at home.
while the Japs are thoroughly nm
tied people. The disparity of forces
is somewhat counterbalanced by the
respective distances for transport
ing troops, Russia's movement al
most amounting to an invasion of the
Island itself. If the Russians have
been victorious in many battles, the
japanese have never been defeated.
and fired by lofty patriotism and a
sublime disregard of death, they
will prove no mean foes, and it is by
no means certain that Russia will
be able even after long struggle to
subdue her ambitious little opponent.
OF course, in a contest of this kind.
our sympathy would naturally 90 to
a Christian nation and a kindred
race, but a spirit of fairness makes
US consider well the merits of both
sides before giving way to those
dangerous guides, the feelings, or to
allow our prejudices confluence our
judgment. The mere fact that Rus
STA is one OF the branches OF the
Indo- European or the Caucasian
race is counterhalanced by the pres
emit condition of that country. The
life OF the peasant who forms large
part of the population is by no means
an enviabie one. Indeed, one might
almost say that they exist in a semi
barbarous condition. What has
chiefly caused this is that, in order
to- support the government and the
nobility, taxes are made SO heavy
that IL strains the resources of the
people to their utmost capacity to
raise them, and when a country has
such a state of affairs as this exist
ing within its boundaries it is not
to be wondered ut that she is so un
progressive, being the lowest branch
of the white race. Japan, because
she is branch of the Monaghan
race, is placed on the level with bar
barous China. Now there is much
more difference between these two
countries than one would at first be-
lieve possible. The Chinaman, with
his chopstieks and rice, is content
ed TO continue his existence thus
because his forefathers were used
to the same mode of living. Not so
with the energetic and intelligent
little Jap. Since the middle of the
nineteenth century, when the Uni
ted States established commercial
intercourse with their ports, they
began to see how far behind the 9th
er countries they were and immedi-
ately made an attempt to better them
selves. They have sent their young
men to this country to learn our Gus
toms and WAYS in Oovernman4 In