The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-04-12
Home Story Of
the Eastern War.
AT A EETIN OF THE CLUB OF THRTY-NINE,
ON THURSDAY EVENING, B. vi. SHUMAN
READ OF THE RUSSOJAPANESE WAR.

WAN.
as well. as to hold on 10 Port Ar.
thur. Japan thereupon demanded that she
should keep faith and evaculate Mancnuria
and Port Arthur, but she Sill refused, tnefe-
upon the Japanese offered hostlnllles ana DE-
cIared war against Russia.
The japanese In this war With RUSSIA nave
ex cited the admiration and Wonoer OF tns
civilized world by their skiil, bravery ana
psrseverance Tneir generals, No3l, Nodu,
Kuroki end Yamagata by land, and Toga by
sea and Oyama, their general q siuor or nelo
marshal, have shown In this wa a sElll ana
judgment, AS well az an energy ano enour-
tains and military commanders OF the past
or present. They have shown themselves
practical, prepared anG determined In every
move which they have made.
They nave fought Lhe war with Inc deter
mipation to succeed. and the seeming con-
tempt which Russia had In the beginning lot
the military proWess or this small natlon OF
Asiatics has been changed TO fear, disappoint
ment and bitterness. They have seen their
great est commanders defeated IN every oattle
and one OF the strongest and best tortured
fortresses on earth Wrested rom mem. fort
Arthur Ia again in the handle OF The Japanese,
and Mukdeu, the ancient capital OF the Man.
chus has been taken by them The SECOND time
within the last eleven years. Wh1le the
battle of the Shake river was a d~isappolnt-
ment To Russia, she still hoped that the
move TO Mukden would be the laet re-
treat.
Gen. Kruopatkin, wiser than the Gar and
his Grand Dukes, had learned that their best
policy was IN delay and strong Notifications.
but ON demand Of his superlors he again
risked battle and lost. His army now re-
duced by about 200, 900 men killed and wound
ed and missing, u again retreattng, seeking
shelter and safety In the Qualifications Of the
city of Hardin He himself has been moved
from the chief command, being superseded
by Llnevitch.
This success is against an army accustomed
to fight with the weapons and implements Of
civilized warfare, commanded by generals
trained IN the military schools OF civilized
Europe.
should say that It may be attributed 10 q
great measure to the superior education given
TO the MASSES OF the people OF Japan. as we'll
as TO the great attent on given TO the special
training of the Japanese officers, and The
preparation and equipment or the Japanese
The Mikado, by his alton ton TO the wei.
fare Of his people, has won their love and a.
lection, and every soldier In the Japanese
army is q patriot. He regards his country as
a blessing TO him. He loves her Institutions
and laws. He fees that success In battle Is d
that he has a country and government that
loves him, and Is continually holititouS OF his
weliare. His education Is such that be fights
intslligently, and t 9 spirit OF the man enters
into his work He lis not only brave, but he
Is devoted. Nothing but love OF country In.
spIred by his country's love Tor him can move
to supreme effort and devotion In battle.
The Japanese have omitted nothing lhat
may contribute to the comfort and welfare OF
their soldiers. In the midst OF battle her
physicians are on the field with every appi-
ancs for relieving the suffering OF the wound
ed, and of ga wing life where II may be saved
by m ediate attention. While the battle Ia
raging the physician is nearby stapchlng the
wounds ofthe wounded, and applying such
sal veg and drugs as render wounds less paiu-
fuI and less dangerous. Each soldier is fur.
nished with proper food and clothing, and
is strictly enforced. The most
perfect discipline prevails throughout tie
army. and sickness and disease are reduced
to q minimum.
The Russian soldier, while brave, lacks The
intelligence Of the Japanese. His education
has been pegiected, and he has within him
more or less spirit OF discomfort with bis
Is a blessing to him. He feels that be
Ia continually beneath the oppressor's rod
If he returns TO his home be finds himself
merciIess police. He has not the spirit with
In him which inspires a man 10 supreme
action and devotion In battle.
The one lesson which seems. hardest for
man In authority and power To learn Is that
torce or fear cannot move a man 10 that su.
preme action and effort which respond only
TO the spirit in him.
Japan seeks to draw out the best In her
com men soldiers by insiructing their intsili.
geuce In the way or tru b.. Russia, TO draw
out the 3est In hers by holding up force be-
fore them. and by appealing To their super
slition by having each put nearest hls heart d
sacred icon, or image OF some patron Saint.
But will Japan win The ultimate victory Z
They have failed 10 capture the whole OF
Kuropatkin's army. II they hid done this
at Mukden the war would doubtless have been
ended in their favor, but Will. or can. they
pursue and capture Linevitch't army at Har-
bin. 1ftbey do this the war ~ still to end in
their favor, but If they do not they run the
risk of being exhausted before Russia Is ulti-
mately conquered. Russia has three lime
az many soldiers as Japan, which may be put
into the field. Japan has won her victories
at the expense OF considerable loas OF life,
and 1t may be, after all, that Russia will be
able To continue the wal until japan has been
exhausted. unless Japan can deal q master
stroke and capture the whole Russian army
in the field before very long.
While Russia's main strength la far away
from the seat OF war, she has a railway. over
which she eau convey troops ard supplies 10
the scene OF action. Japan, though much
nearer. has to transport hers by sea.
Upon the whole. 1t seems 10 me that ia
pans victory depends on prompt, rapid and
decisive action.
/ hope Japan may win, because her cauae
plains that her fellow Christisn nations do not
sympathize with her, but she must remem-
her thst the basis OF Christianity ia truth.
Truth In action, truth In conduct. No true
Christianity can countenance broken faith.
Besides, l believe 1t Is to the interest Of the
Western powers, and especially to the United
Ststes, for Japan to win. II she wins Man
churia, q productive country will be open up
to the Western powers, and the western
civilization Of England, America, Germany
and France will be planted there and will
Influence and preponderste over that Of
China, and tha rich lands there will be made
to blossom as the rosa, and all nations will
be permitted to trade In her cities and
ports.
II Russia wins the principle OF exclusion
will prevail, the power OF the autocrat will
be established therein, and the march OF
civilization impeded II not entirely arres-
ted.
Since the United States is constructing
the canal across the Isthmus Of Panama,
the success OF the Japanese in.this war
becomes more important TO us than ever be-
fore. Open market in the East, andS the
influence OF Western civilization Nm those
Eastern countries will perhaps be OF more
benefit to the United States than any other
one country and especially to the South.
Our cotton and cotton products could be
sent In ships through the Panama canal di.
rect to these Eastern coun tries, with no
ocean TO cross but the Pacific. American
vessels could reach Port Arthur by way OF
the Yellow Sea and Gulf Of Porcnill. or
Vladivostok by way OF the Sea OF Japan,
OF eastern and northeastern Asia, and the
people OF those countries Influenced by
eastern civilization would become more
skillful tillers OF the soil, and their de-
mands for the products of our cotton fields
M looms would become greater from
year to year, and the raising and manu-.
facture OF cotton thereby made profitable
to US.