The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-06-18
Tapan's Opportunity.

| 3IDeTc seems W Dc llo NodNe tsi's viz
war in the East will now be brought
to close, provided only Japan does
not make the terms OF peace too severe.
| 1t Is too much to expect that japan will
not ask for any indemnity, for that Is
| the established custom OF nations, but 1t
IS a custom which would he more honored
| in the breach than In the observance,
and the nations of the earth should set
! their faces against 1t. Wars Of conquest
should not be tolerated In this civilized
bad. Nation goes to war with nation
! for one purpose or another, and the
! .conquering nation conpels the other to
| give up certain territory or to pay an
enormous sum OF money as the penalty
of defeat. 1t Is as though two neigh
bors should have a fight, and, while the
stronger had the weaker on the ground
pummellng him. and when the weaker
was crying for quarter, the stronger
should require OF him to give up his
money or be beaten to death. We may
talk as much as we please about diplo-
macy and the law Of nations and all
that, but that which Is wrong as be-
tween individuals is wrong as between
nations There cannot be two standards
of morals one for individuals, one for
nations. That which Is individually
wrong is collectively wrong.
The United States government set
noble example in this. respect In its war
with Spain. It is true that we required
Spain to give up a few small islanus
near our coast, which were Of no value
to her and which she could well afford
to lose, whereas 1t was in the interest
OF our peace that these islands Should
belong to tus. It is true also that We
required Spain to give up Cuba, but 1t
was not for our benefit except SO far
as Spanish rule in Cuba. was menace
to the United States. After long years
Of patience, we decided that from every
point OF view Cuba should be free, and
! when we had driven Spain out and per-
formed certain necessary friendly SER
vices for the islanders we set them
up in O. government OF their own and
bid them God-speed. It Is true also
that We required Spain to get out Of the
Philippines, for we could not have done
otherwise in Justice to tho F'ilplnos and
in justice to ourselves. But of our own
accord we paid her the sum Of $4,000, 900
by way of compensation. and results
have shown that Spain was far better
off with the money than with the islands
as her possessions.
In short, although we soon whipped
Spain into submission and had her where
we could make the terms to suit our
selves, we really exacted no war indcm-
nifty, although the war had cost us In
expenditures for the army and navy alone
the sum of s1145oo.ooo.
Japan has made brilliant fight and
to accomplish. if We are to judge her
by her own avowals. She declared at
the outset that she had no intention Of
carrying on a war Of conquest, but that
she was fighting simply and solely to
check Russian aggression and invasion.
She has completely done this, and in
making terms she should see to 1t that
Russia does not compel her to wage an
| other war in the Iuture for the same!
| purpose. But If she should confine her.
self practically to these exactons and
follow the example set by the United
States in her war with Spain, making
| no demands for blood money. she would
take the lead In national morality and
mration and profound respect of the
civilized world.
| 4ls T