The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-01-05
THE WAR SITUATION.

with the Internal conditlonS pIeNdi
ing in Russia, which would labor undt
the disadvantage of operating at a lon
distance from her base til
Muscovite advance in Asia may nc
be surnrnarily checked without the in
terpositfon of other powers and, o
February 20, 1904, in another editoria
added: There is a fair prospect tina
Japan alone may tear the paws of tn
Russian bear from its hold on China.
Again. on May 10, 1904. it said: ..Thi
is an age of enlightenment and ad
become subordinate and, except in tbs
case of Russia, almost extinct. The
record of events in the Oriental wal
thus far corresponds to the essential
differences and contrasts between tbs
ro1nbatants."
There is no claim to special origin
atty in these views. In the face of
manufactured attempts to create. SYM
rafhy for Russia. which is the only
power that has sought to monopoiize
Asia and to close it's doors to trade
and commerce, they simply epitomize
the best thought of the most conpe-
tent opponents of modern civilization,
and, so far, they have been amply con-
frmed The combination and steady
pressure and success by the navy and
army of Japan rank at least equal
10 any phase of modern history. In
eleven months the intervening seas be-
tween Manchuria and Japan have been
cleared and the communication OF that
empire between its base and the seat
Of war kept open; Vladivostok has
been isolated; the Liaotong peninsula
swept clean; the enemy driven back
and firmly held at Mulden, and Port
Arthur, one of the most strongly forti- |
fed places in the world, invested and |
captured. In all these great move |
snents the most thorough preparation, |
the most accurate knowledge of Iocali-
ties, the most complete strategicaI and I
tactical skill, moderate and wise
craftsmanship and extreme patience,
discipline and courage have been uni
fornly displayed. The amenities of
war have been systematically OBJ
served. unusual conservatism has
marked official statements, and natur-
al exultation has been qualified by +
chiyaIric recognition OF the stelid brav-
cry of the Russian army and navy, and
the ability and persistence of such
Japan has practically. occupied Korea
and is in fair way to the fulf1Ilment
OF its pledge to restore Manchurfa to
China and to open the Asiatic door.
It's success has been due 70 intelli-
gence, education and system. 1t has
also administered the most effective
rebuke> to Russia for its part in neu-
trailing the natural results of the
short war with China.
The attempt to connect the Japan
csc empire, which has now fairly en-
tered into the family of nations, with
a policy of Asiatic concentration and
the exclusion of the great powers from
the inviting field for commercial ex-
pansion in the vast Eastern CONT |
nent. is plainly ridiculous. Japan's
whole course in it's intercourse with
'oreign Governments its reiterated and
lnbroken declarations, the specific
treaties into which 1t has entered, and
.he advanced quality and character of
It's progress during the last half CEN
fury, are ffatly contradictory of such
4 proposition, which is not only pure !
invention. but could not be carried out. ]
rhe relations between Japan and the
United States and Great Britain alone
refute this forced and illogical as ,
sumption. If the declaration attributed I
n the japanese ambassador at Lon
lon to the effect that Port Arthur :
would be held, should prove to be true, s
hen Japan win only occupy the posi- /
Germany have long held in Asia, and
instead OF being a menace, the occupa- !
ion of Port Arthur would be a pro- ]
ection to their interests. japanese {
utilization, impressed, it is true. with
he religious and moral features that :,
nave descended from the past, in its t
Intellectual and material elements. is t
distinctly assimilated to American and
European civilization, and no one of its
characteristics in inter-
lal growth or in political or diplomatic
Iction, is Asiatic.
Japan has assumed the task of div Il
ng medievaIisn. with all it's concomi- :
ant obstacles to the spread of mod 9
I'm ideas. out of Asia, and thus far
t has succeeded. 1t occupies the atti-
ude of the advanced guard of Asiatic :
development. 1t will require something :
ense to convince mankind that un-