The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-12-21
BOOK REVIEW

Blue Waters and Green" is the title
OF book by Senator F. Dumont Smith
just published by Crane & Co. of To-
peka- The book is well made, artistic
ally printed and one of the most in
teresting of the recent contributions 70
Kansas literature.
senator Smith is recognized as a
brilliant man and his book is not an
ordinary one by means. He tells
the story of his travels in straight
forward way, in beautiful English and
with the keen perception of trained
reporter showing in every paragraph
He writes his impressions of Honolulu
and Japan, and China and of
the natives, and uses an oc-
casional story with rare discrimina-
tion-none of his Stories are old and
all are refreshing, delicate and in
teresting. Senator Smiths training as
an orator makes him a good story
teller. sts'
The author did not go around the
world. He was content to visit Homo
lulu, Japan, China and the Philippines
but his familiarity with Europe crops
out frequently in comparison of the
scenery of Japan With that of SwitZer-
land or the customs of the Orientals
with the more advanced civilization of
the continent.
Here are some brief extracts from
Blue Waters and Green that will show
with what a keen sense Of observation
Mr.. Smith went on his Oriental ex-
cursion:
In Canton, city of two million
people. there is not a drinking place,
saloon, grog shop, or drug store
with a back room, or any place where
anything intoxicating can be procured.
That is true of old Shanghai, true OF
the native part of Hong Kong, Macao,
and Hankow. The higher classes drink,
very moderately, rice wine, kind of
brandy that they make, but always in
moderation. The lower and middle
classes drink not at all, except tea. A
drunken~ Chinaman would be as much
of a curiosity as a Chinaman with two
heads. There is no need of temper
ance societies here.
"You may If you are credulous be-
lieve that Japan intends to go to war
with America, but personally, believe
the men who run Japan have too much
sense. She could not carry on an
other war for single month. The last
one cost her 81, zoo. 900, 900. She was at
the point of exhaustion not only of
money, but of men. The draft that was
going forward when the war closed was
what is known as the 'eigntn line,
the last, in fact, for 1t was boys OF
Is and men of As.
"She cannot make another loan, for
every resource is mortgaged now. But
for the indemnity of $50,0OO.OO0 that
came from Russia there would have
been a deficit this year.
''She is at the end of her resources,
for it takes the purse now to do the
fighting. Most of her guns and war
material must be renewed before an
other war. More than that, she has
her hands full in assimilating Korea,
task that will take years.
1T could give other figures that would
show the poverty of this people, but
these suffice. Nothing but a patriotism
that is fanatic, a courage that is des-
perate, would have carried her as FAR
as she has gone.
"She staked her last dollar in the
war with Russia, in the hope of get
ting Manchuria as an outlet for her
she has Korea, a rich country, richer
than Japan, and with that she must
be content till she mends her finances,
which will take years. She makes a