Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1904-02-17
THE CAUSE OF THE DISPUTE.
Russia Has Long Threatened the Very Ex.
istenoe OF Japan.

strength of her blows against the
moribund Chinese empire, says the
Eagle. She swept all before her
and fully expected to reap her re-
ward by annexing certain of the
choice territory of China. Her ere
ward" consisted in holding few
second rate war vessels and the
island of Formosa, for Russia
stepped in and nulified the victory
by compelling Japan to give up all
her hard earned laurels.
Since that war Russia perpetrated
one of the most colossal grabs in
history. In 1895 Russia compelled
Japan to give up Port Arthur, which
controls the gateway to Peking,
Manchuria and Mongolia. In 1897
Russia seized Port Arthur for her
own. Three years later the Great
Bear got foothold in Manchuria,
which covers 100000 square miles,
and has population of 8,5OO,OOO.
The Boxer uprising, which Japan
declares was fomented by Russia for
the purpose of making this hold
more certain, followed in the next
year. Of course, Russia poured into
the district "protective" troops to
the number of nearly 100000. This,
the Great Bear said, was to protect
her Siberian railway and her inter
ests along its route.
At the end of that very same
year Russia obtained from China ex-
elusive trading rights in Manchuria,
and in 1902 further rights were
ceded on the promise that Russia
would evacuate the province within
eighteen months. This Russia re-
luctantly agreed to do, but she is
there yet.
Last year Russia announced that
she would not evacuate Manchuria
unless more exclusive rights were
given-practically amounting to
sovereignty. Although Russia had
gone on record that she would keep
her promise, especially to Secretary
Hay, she still refused and China was
told that the Russian troops would
continue u hold all the important
points in Manchuria until the de-
mands were acceded to. The United
States, Great Britain and Japan
combined to hold China firm in her
refusal, and succeeded. Russia
poured more troops in, until her rail
way was completely defended along
its entire route.
Russia, baked at last, made
promise to the world that she would
evacuate Manchuria on October 8
last if she got some special privileges
from China. These were not so
stringent as her former demands, but
were too much for China to grant,
backed, as she was, by three great
powers. The incoming troops and
the Notifications going up caused
China to protest against this aggres-
sion, but more troops and more for
tifications was the answer.
The situation was then acute, but
the climax came when Russia moved
over to the Yalu river, dividing Man
churia and Korea, and built fortifi-
cations and established armed camps.
This was clearly move to gain Ko-
rea and shut Japan from the CONT
nent. Japan always has considered
Korea as under her especial protec-
tion, and rightly 30. japanese in
terests in Korea are far greater than
those of any other country, and the
Japs practically run the commercial
interests there, although the biggest
enterprises are under American con-
troll.
Why should Japan want Korea?
japan is composed of many islands
jutting out from the Korean coast,
the nearest point between the two
countries being some sixty odd miles
and only $50 miles between Korea
and the main island of Japan. The
area of Japan (including Formosa)
is 10000 square miles, and its popu-
lation is 47,0OO,0OO. Here is a
country the size of California, the
State having population of only
100000. The population of Japan is
80 per square mile, or, in other
words, Japan is like huge and
continuous village in our rural dis
tricts, spreading over all its land.
Every inch of the japanese soil is
utilized, and were the people like
Americans, requiring diversity and
immensity of food products, they
could not live. AS it is Japan is a
big importer of food products. It's
busy artisans export $115,000,0 1000
worth of material each year, while
its imports are about $2,OO0,OO0 in
excess of the foregoing figures.
The fecundity of the Japs is well
known, and it is imperative that
more land be obtained. Already
more than 100000 of them live in
Korea, China and the United States.
Korea is large enough and sparsely
settled enough to provide for 25,000,-
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