Gilpin observer., 1907-01-17
The YELLOW
PERIL
By JOHN FORBES
X *Ks*ass
Copyright. by Daily Story Pub. Coz

An oppressive gloom pervaded the
atmosphere Of the Capital club, and
in the Red room a slow departing
twilight, penetrating with difficulty
heavy black masses of tobacco smoke.
was the only illumination. No one had
cared to press the electric button.
Occasionally one of dozen or more
glowing cigar ends seemed to awaken
from reverie to beam brightly for
moment-then relapse again like the
eye of drowsy tiger. There was no
sound in the room and scarcely per
ceptible movement, save now and
then finger 1ecked the ashes away
or hand removed weed from close
shut lips.
For several minutes thus-then the
deep-voiced cabinet secretary, with
dignified deliberation, resumed, And
gentlemen, when all is said and done,
the entire situation may be briefly
summarized. AS the general has ex-
, planned, they have encroached upon
our northern boundary until a barrier
of armed men extends from the Paci-
fic to the Atlantic. Our southern
boundary is glittering line of bayo-
nets from gulf to gulf. If we drive
back regiment we retreat to our
lines before Brigade"
"A corps, Mr.. Secretary, an entire
army corps" interposed the general.
And" continued the secretary,
their fleets protect their commerce
in every harbor of the world. For
every torpedo boat we possess they
have n cruiser, and for every destroy
er over whose decks our flag floats a
battleship flaunts their colors to the
breeze. They have naval stations
within so hours of our most seques-
tered sea ports They have invested
our Great Lakes. Our insular posses
siors we have ceded to them, with
honor, indeed. but l cannot say. gen.
tlemen, without coercion-subtle, per-
haps, but still coercion.
Lo Toon, their prime minister, is
exceedingly frank. 1t is not he says,
"a matter of conquest, but struggle
for existence. My people must have
breath-they are suffocating We
have our fisheries at the very south
pole, and every foot of the bleak 81
be-.an stepPes yields its quota of rice
or mi!iet-nay, even though it needs
be rooted with glass to keep the earth
from s;rangling in its frozen clutch
, the sprouting seeds. There is no area
In all the western hemisphere, from
ice-bound valleys of northmost bays
ard rivers to lofty snow-capped Cor
dillera in the south, save what is &C.
cupied by these United States of
yours, but responds to the industry of
ny people. And you have room.
room, room. You are encompassed
You must see the inevitable This.
gentlemen, is the situation. We are
encompassed. Our navy is helpless,
our army but barely holds at bay the
hordcs upon our borders. Our lines
of Notifications are problems which
cannot long remain unsolved. The
time when statesmanship availed us
has long. long since gone by.
"Gentlemen," and the secretary's
voice was scarcely audible, Il fear
greatly fear we are undone"
There was silence again and the
cigar ends glowed more iminously I'M
the deepening gloom. An onyx clock
on the mantel over a closed fireplace
licked aggressively and the match
with which the secretary relighted his
cigar sputtered noisily.
Mr.. Secretary" The professors S
passionless voice sounded afar OFF
but every eye, startled and new
lighted, turned toward him. The sec
retary responded:
Professor"
Since it appears, Mr.. Secretary,
he calmly continued. that this disas-
ter which has been impending for SO
long is about to fall upon and crush
us. Since 1t Is evident from what you
say that the defense of our beloved
country has passed beyond the pow
ers of its natural agencies. Since dip
lomacy and force of arms are alike
hopeless, may ! not submit the propo-
sition that the defense of our nation
has entered the realms of science and
as humble disciple of truth volun-
teer my services in its behalf 1t
must still be war-most horrible.
most hellish war-and God alone
knows how hate 1t and shrink from
it; but ! make the sacrifice gladly"
Il had forborn hoping, professor,
and I must still forbear." The secre-
tary breathed deeply.
The professor had arisen and
passed silently from the room and the
cigar ends cleaned brightly in the
direction of the half open door.
Lo Toon. the prime minister, sat in
state. Courtiers in silken flowing
gowns paused in their goings to and
fro and clerks and scribes, low bent
at their writing, looked up expectant-
ly. Lo Toons face was erpression