Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-02-08
THE TWO ANTAGONISTS,

Although the rupture of diplomatic
relations between Russia and Japan
does not necessarily mean war, the
probability Is that It would not have oc.
Cured, had not both countries now
arrived at the conclusion that the dis
pute cannot be settled by any other
means, II Is still 10 be hoped that
war chn be ayerted, but the outlook ls
dark Still, II Russia does not oppose
the occupation Of Corea by Japan, and
II Japan does not attack the Russians,
the storm may blow over
The following data concerning the
two antagonists may be OF some In
terest at this time. They are given by
o contributor TO Golfers Weekly:
"Russla's population Ia liO.OO00OO;
Japans 100000 In Russia. TO the
square mile there are Is persons; In
Japan 206, Russla's army costs $780,
00O 900 a year; Japan's $4,000 600. on
peace footing the Russian army has
l.0OO,O officers and men, the Japanese,
$4,000. on war footing, the Russian,
1900 900, and the japanese, $4,000.
These are amazing figures, But other
figures show how much little Japan"
Is Intellectually the superior OF the
Russian giant.
Though Japan has only one-third the
population OF her rival, she publishes as
many books every year; and, despite
the concentration Of her population,
which permits OF the wide circulation
Of her city dailles, she publishes as
many newspapers. The percentage OF
her people who can read and write Is
about equal 10 that Of our own New
England States. In schools and coll
leges she has 100000 pupils and stu
dents, or one In every nine OF the popu-
lation, where Russia has only one In
every thirty.hye, In fact, Japan, with
her 10000 people probably has more
subjects who can read and write than
Russia with her ltO,OOo,OOO.'
II IL almost certain that the EFFORTS
OF the great European powers will be
directed toward combining the struggle
| to the two belllgerents But II Is almost
equally certain that China will be drawn
into the malstroem. Time alone can tell
what that may lead TO, Ever since the
Boxer instruction the Japanese, we
are told, have been quietly engaged In
securing a strong hold upon the conf
dence and the friendship q the Chinese,
who seeing In them men Of much the
same race, faith, traditions and ethics,
are ready to accept from them counsel
and instruction, which they would re.
gard with distrust suspicion and even
contempt, II rendered by Europeans or
Americans The Japanese, without at.
tracing much attention have been drill.
ling and reorganizlng the Chinese army
have been supplontlng Europeans In the
great Chinese arsenals, and have been
acting as confidential advisers TO the
statesmen az Pekin. and 70 the provln-
clal ylceroys They have been active
IN every branch Of Chinese military,
naval ana clyil administration, AZ well
as IN educational ana industrial life.
This has taken place with the knowl-
edge and moral support Of Great Brit
ain. Il IL evident that every year that
passes serves TO Increase the efficiency
ana importance OF China as an ally Il
is perhaps the knowledge OF this that
has led Russia to east aside the mask
ana To proclptaie events. Il may be
taken Tor granted that she reallaes that
lf am armed conflict is inevitable. % o.
best 20 bring matters 10 @ crisis at
once, instead ~ waiting until the Chino,
Japanese coalition has had time 90 de.
Velop lts enormous strength The state,
mont from st pD,orsbwg. that Iapan
Is Responsible Ten Che rupture. win not
De- taken seriously anywhere. Japan
is mo- more responsible than France was
Cor ihe Nar with Otmluy and ih.g
isct wan awe France the 'ghi to koop
away fom One battlefield oven Do chma
shoud become aU tytNr u.A 90 japan