Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1905-02-22

The present crisis in the North Sea,
where the Russian Baltic fleet sank two
travis of the British fishing fleet shook
the foothold Of every throne IN Europe,
while culver of excitement ran through
Ine financial markets of the world.
The threatening probability OF war be-
tween Russia and England-a probability
that became the more menacing because
of the undoubted hatred of the masses
of each of these countries the one for
the other-struCk everyone of the widely
expanded teHtacles of the British out
posts and caused the already aroused
possessions of the Gear to ferment with
additional military precautions. The
probability Of a war between Great
Britain and Russia, which is always the
joker in the modern court deck OF cards,
with which the world ) diplomats play
the game of International intrigue and
deceit, began when the sound of the shot
that rang over the bleak waters of the
North Sea reached London probability
that only the coolest Judgment on the
parts of both the Russian and British
leaders fortunately averted at the last
But that war. which is the talk of
London and St. Petersburg, does not
show its really dan- erous 'ymptoms
either in the Black sea or where the
British Channel squadron surrounds the
rock-ribbed cliffs Of Gibraltar The real
pulse of the Britt 5h-Russian danger
beats afar off from the capitals of both
empires The actual outposts of the
two countries come together in noun
famous. isolat ted, slightly populated and
altogether barbarous section Just north
of the Oxus River. a thousand miles
from the Caspian Sea and another thou
SAM distant from Delhi, the most
northern capital of the Hindoo PENN
sula.
Where .-'e Danger Lies.
To the careful and sincere student of
the military parad TX which las brought
the Island Empire and the two Russias
face to face in thai far-dstant territory
of the Upper India Plateau. there is a
certain pleasure in noticing the long
series of military moves, first on The
part of Russia and again on the part of
the British Empire, by which each ma
ton has gradually crept up-England
from the south and Russia from the
north towards the key of India, which
both nations realize is the picturesque
Mohammedan town of Herat. But while
Hcrat is undoubtedly the military key 20
the North Indian situation, neither has
as yet ATTEMPTED to bodily occupy ii.
To the student of inside history ii is an
open secret that the present Russian
japanese conflict was NenturCd by the
Japs only after the British Empire had
formally declared the dual alliance,
which was virtually a notification that
the Japs were to be allowed 10 attack
the Car in his weakest point. The key
to the whole situation was that Japan
was to have International freedom from
interference unless the nation inteTfer-
ing with the japanese assault upon
Russia was prepared TO go to war with
the greatest naval power on the globe
For over Is years Japan had been
pointing out to the conservative officials
on Downing street the fact that this at
tack upon the Gar was the essential
thing. and nevertheless Lord Salisbury
could not be persuaded to openly iOin in
a defensive alliance a
Oriental race
why England Joined Japan.
The British dominancy over the Egyp-
tian, over the most civilized Of all orien-
tails. the Hindoos, made ii difficult for
the British diplomats to join as an equal
an oriental people which cannot be con-
sidered superior, morally or racially to
every one of dozen nations held in
the grasp of Britain. and ruled by depu-
ties of Britain, The whole key, then. to
the present Observation-Disclosures in spring
as it did, from the British Alliance with
Japan arose from an expedition, which,
while made light of by the diplomats at
st. Petersburg, absorbed Persia into the
Russian sphere Of influence. and. most
important of all. brought the farthest
outpost of Russian Cossacks to within
a days ride OF Herat the key to the
northern gates of India. Now. this ex-
petition which resulted in so frighten-
ing England that for the first time in
history European power has Joined on
equal terms with an ASiatic one was
appo rartIy peacaft1I nnnrgb W ,,-itt
:, q ',,si.,,, ,.F1ycal -,t,i,iiT. Mitu
oraratjor, ta ,,ithin 10 ,,1iia "a II a4u IA
to- has act1Iaiiv baatat, L',1.,tt,5 - ~
St,,bborp contest for ~ ~ r,tI =
no,tbern fror5tie, ~ Tn9ia NM, % t'.e
aai,it ,,nor, some far diefart frSS,tt 20
fbe car ca1sing an ruo,,I36,, S, -, a.
ture and the trouble to transport the
NJ attack conld save Inc I,.itish n,itete'
sions in india. AlfboIlgh the Pritisb
diplomats viii stfll vehef1ently DIV the
RIesian menace n srafnst The Irftfsh nos.
sessions in India, tho actual cnnfessed
facts and the actual mili-a1.,, orcllo.nrS.
along the entire Indian rl5ntiar shows
clearly to the trained military student
the fact that until the Japs mad smashed
fully onc-half Of the Cars sbins and
had dragged to the farthest F,ae+ the
flower Of the Cars army. that Russia
had assured a position within 30 miles
Of actual Rritisf territory in India that