Middletown transcript., 1905-09-02
nIDDLErowN, DEL, SEP. .. 1905.
JAPAN

Russia won, or rather M.
Witte won for Russia, a signal Dip
lomatic success at Portsmouth.
Nothing can alter his brilliant
achievement in a negotiation
which saves his country from the
loss of prestige and the serious
burden of taxation involved in
an indemnity. After days OF
doubt on the payment of an in
denmity-peace and war turning
in the balance-every correspon-
dent at Portsmouth naturally and
inevitably deeply dyed his des-
patches with the triumph of Rus
STA.
"a great triumph it is after
disastrous defeat: but the fruits
of every peace grow on the tree
of the future. Whether an inden-
nifty was asked or paid will be
forgotten. This weeks work
has to be judged in the light of
the future of EasteAsia and on
the administration of this future
Japan enters under the. "Peace
of Washington.
"Unconsciously, for forty
years Russia and Japan have
been drawing near this inevitable
contest, in which this war, great
as it is, is but an episode. The
two Powers have pursued dia-
metrically opposite policies.
Russia has sought to gather a
vast territory; but from the day
Mentchikoff wrested the Amour
Valley from the weak hands of
China it was plain to ALTO none
more than Japan-that this was
only a stepping-stone to domi-
nance over China. Japan seeks
a like end, but its policy has
avoided great tracts of territory.
Marquis Ito, the great statesman
who has guided Japan, has
looked on an Island Empire as
having no business to entangle
itself with continental areas.
He has looked on England as
weakened for three centuries by
its continental territories in
France and retarded in its devel-
opement even by victories like
Crecy and Agincourt.
"Instead, Japan has deliber-
ately planned to do nothing in
this war which would impose re-
sponsibilities for the Amour or
the sterile reaches of extreme
northern Manchuria and beyond.
Neither her generals nor her
statesmen wanted to go to Har-
bin. They had no desire to an
mex the barren leagues which
yearly cost Russia more than
they yield. In thirty years, near
1000, 900 square miles Russia has
On the Pacific hold but 100000
inhabitants after every effort to
promote irrigation. If they con-
tinue to grow at a like rate, as in
the past thirty years, thirty
years hence these 100000
square miles will hold but $780,
600 inhabitants.
"Japan planned for quality in
stead of quantity. When Russia
seized Manchuria it was certain,
if the Russian army remained,
to dominate Picking and China.
The Russian army leaves, hope
lessiy defeated, and Japan takes
Korea and opens to Japanese
trade and emigration the fertile
share of Manchuria. rich with |
Japan's three needs = tim Der, |
grazing for cattle and grain.
"The future will show how |
much wiser it is to develop in
this rich area a great and power
full Japanese and Chinese popu-
lation and wait for the attack
inevitable if Russia remains des
potic and militant-th to waste |
the strength of Japan in excur-
sions and alarums seeking an in
demnity over the limitless leag-
ues of Russian possessions.
'sOf all that Russia had or held
Japan has taken the only highly
profitable share, and its defense
will grow the easier and more
certain with its internal develop
ment, while Japan is substituted
for Russia as the nearest, strong
est, dominant neighbor of a great,
helpless Empire. This was The
true issue of the war. It is won
by Japan beyond peradventure.
-Phila. Press.