The Irish standard., 1905-04-15
is OPINION cHANcINc.

10 OFINION CHANGING.
There seems to be little less ex-
hibition of partisanship in favor of
Japan on the part of Americans than
there was few months ago. The
press of the country is beginning to
see that Japan as the dominant power
in the east is more dangerous to what
they deem American interests than
Russia. The press which heretofore
was eager for complete success on
the part of Japan is now urging peace
1t is opposed to the further humilia-
tion of Russia and is unwilling that
that power be stripped of Vladivostok
its remaining seaport on the Pacific
The purpose is apparent. Selfish COM
mercial interest which owns large
portion of the press of the country at
the beginning Of the war was eager
that Russia which has for years been
the dominant power in China and the
far east should be crippled. Now that
it appears that Japan is about to take
kussia's place as commercial power
the same interest will oppose further
Japanese success. They realize that
Japan will be as great, even greater
rival than Russia was. The papers
in this country which have been favor
ing the Japanese progress are eager
to bring about situation where there
will be no powerful dominating power
in the east. In this they are bound
to be disappointed. Either Russia
or Japan must become the power
which will influence the future de-
velopment of China. 1t has appeared
TO us from the start that it would
be infinitely better that Russia should
be that power in the interest of the
Aryan people and christian civiliza-
ton. There were other reasons which
we believed should have influenced
Americans to favor Russia, and fore
most among these was the attitude of
Russia towards this country during
the Civil War. At that time she was
our good and fast friend. Another
fact which should have appealed to
our selfish side was our growing trade
in Russia.
Russia was for some time prior to
the outbreak of the war our best
customer for manufactured products.
Our trade with Japan and even with
Japan and China combined was small
compared with that which we carried
q With Russia. Further development
of the Russian Empire promised to
greatly increase that trade. Our
present administration of foreign af-
fairs, however, is dominated by a man
who is at all times working in the
interests of the British Empire. John
Hay is man of great ability and a
man who no doubt loves his country
but the associations of his whole life
have made him close follower of
things British. He has worked and
hoped for American greatness through
English channels. None of these of
course lead in the direction of Russia,
for Russia has been and is today the
one power which threatens British
progress in the far east. 1t is prob
able, therefore, that the American
people as a whole will look upon
Japanese success before long in the
same light in which the people of the
Pacific slope look upon it now. 1t
! may then be too late. We may then
have as chief commercial COM
petitors in the far east race with
much more energy than the Russian
possesses. A race with whose cheap
labor and cheap living American labor
| will hesitate to compete.
John Hay and his British colleagues
will then learn that Japan has not
fought this war for nothing. They
will find that Japan will herself look
after the commercial development OF
China and that England, the United
States and other powers will be poor
competitors. Indeed we may then
learn that we have given aid to a
power destined to develop and arm
the Monogolian races who in the
future will claim asia for the Asia
tics" 1t is not among the improbable
things that within half a century
China and Japan may be discussing
the partition of India where the Aryar
! powers are today bothering them