The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-03-14
ltD lF3 m 4f "a n w, NAG ~
R,,ussia,s War Of Conquest.


In referring the other day TO tho tho dis tl
nst ers to Russian arms In SAlanchurla, we "
renar ked that Russia was the aggr re = 9
that she had been waging g war OF con- ~
nuest, nlld that japan had been more Or Or
less On the defensive The Petersburg bur.
Index-Appeal says that this is Q r rather 'sE
surprising view Of the case declaring th no :
Russia was In A1anchuria by rig NJ q
leave, and as for Japan, that i1lS't 'E
bears no record Of a. more aggre4sssivV!ely
A1kado's little yellow soldiers have been cen
offensive warfare than that Y when NC inc
AIikndo,s llttlo yellow soldiers have \ pe zen
conducting against the Cars troops 20 'h' 'F
Al n Is q be remembered that after her
war with China, Japan demanded as as 4, an
indemnity that part Of Manch n, RE, IN
cludihg Port Arthur over which s'l7t u ~ INC
troops had fought. China readily & a &C.
coded to this demand and the treaty was vas
drawn up and signed But Russia is Ser! ser
many and Franco served notice on u pan
that sho must not take any part .s & Of the the
Chinese territory, and Japan was COM ll
PEELED to Yield and take instead an IN NJ
demnity in money. Russia then 5sl en-
China money with which to pay the ne 3 m
Idelmnity and little later Russia leased sec
from China the much envied Fort Arttu VI
which Japan had fairly won In war wal !. ana
which she was compelled, mainly through
Rusau. influence, to give up. 81 NJ
III giving a brief history Of the war war ana inc
lis causes, tho New York World, after after
referring to the facts 9which!Fs&we have "a
above recltcd, "A 5s
Russia fastened after tho streat ~ II OF;
peace between "a pan and China 70 ses-i
tabish a practical II occupation OF Sl III
churia, her political; and naval interests
demanding naval base on tho Y elbow
Sea. free Of ice. Manchura itself Is,
an empire worth fighting for. Russia,
extended It's Trans-s Siberian grnilrond sys-N
tern to Port Arthur, and without annex
ling Munchurla In fact gavo so many evil,
dent signs Of intent to make her controlt
there permanent that Japan took alarm
For this reason: Between Manchurln ana
Japan lies tho unprogresslvo Kingdom
Of Korea, which. by universal consent o.
| Japanese statesmen, must be under u pA-
neso control for the safety and progress
OF u apln AElLSelI. 1SuWbE isuS''u -
churIn meant, logically, Russian intrigue
in Korea; In fact, incidents were not lack,
Ing to confirm Japanese suspicious that
Russian policy would develop in time SO
as to restrict the expansion Of Japan.
And expansion is imperative for Japan
| by reason not only Of her Increase In
commerce, but also Of hor growing popu-
lution." ~. II "a III i: 81 gt5i i4f.ss z
So much for Russla's war of conquest
III saying that Japan was ton the defen-
sive, wo did not, mean, OF course, TO say
that Japan had conducted her campaign
on the defensive plan, Far from IT. She
has been defending Manchurn9 and In,
cldentally Korea from Russian encroach-
mcnt; but III doing this she has put up
an aggressive fight, She attacked the
Russian fleet and destroyed IT; she at
tackled Port Arthur and captured It; she
attacked KuropatkinE in Manchurin and
drove him toward the north. She has
fought with all the aggrossiycnoss OF n
game-cock, and she has fought the hard
or BECAUSE she has felt all along that she
vas defending herself against the tres
pass OF a mighty European power, which
threatened her very existence. It is q
defensive war, but an aggressive fight.