The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-05-04
The Anglo Japanese Alliance

!, situation 1t is necessary to review the
actual status OF the, several powers
fully belongs to China. Russia occu
pied 1t after the Boxer trouble. of
eight years ago, and later was driven
selfishly endcavored to secure for IT
self the exclusive control OF this rich
country. When japan went In to GUST
Russia, 1t was with the understanding
that, the success OF Japanese arms
would mean the restoration Of the
p natyn. or aua raaag
OF, Japan's fair intentions were widely
published throughout England and
America with ,,, the result that ard most
| in these countries. America was led
to believe that Japanese success meant
an open field and as a consequence It's
| land. particularly believed that Japan
would play fair with her, and gave
ora be and the orees Of hs MnSe
could not possibly have pushed their
campaign to success.
While Engiand's primary object I'm
ear Of future ar 1es on
the Indian border, 1t is certain that
John Bull never regarded his new ally
as the dangerous trade rival which
Japan has proved to be; It is said TINT
England merely used Japan as a cats
paw to pun British chestnuts out Of
it cannot be denied that Russian az
erosion was more dangerous to Japan
than to. England, and that England
in backing i in the war than japan
rendered to England in reducing Rus
sia to innocuous desuetude. The service
merely that of navies and armies
which England could have supplied It
self by greater expenditure. But
all hope Of Japanese national aggran-
dizement would have vanished had not
iEnEian,d me !, given moral support , in the
renounces the alliance. the Rising Sun
OF Japanese Asietic Empire will surely.
even IL slowly, decline.
What Of the alliance NOW? II is with
mingled feelings Of surprise and dis
gust that our English cousins are be-
ginning to realize that they have made
worse than dry haul The result OF
hlanchuria has been merely transferred
from Russian TO Japanese domination,
but that England, In fostering and up
holding the influence of Japan. has In
reality been cquipping the most as-
sressive, incorporating and unfair
rival that British interests have ever
encountered In the East
The Fakumcn Railway incident
shows how little regard Japan really
has for British interests Fakumen is
:, market city on the border between
northeast of Hsinminfu. the presen.
northern terminus OF The imperia:
Railroads OF Morn china. .'akurael
is forty, miles from the nsarest aoin.
on the South Manchurian Railwoy. the
line which the japanese too.e tFcm the
Russians as the spoiis OF was. si.e
proposed extension from EsinfGinzn -
Eakumen is 4 part o. the Imperial,
Railroads of North China and tho con-
structon. is in the hands OF the British
Corporation, which, as its .aamc lndi-
Gates. is backed by English capital.
The proposed line would tap section
n INT
with the Japanese railway because Of
the distance between the two. Accord
promises, one would suppose that there
would be no objection to China devel-
opins part of It's own territory, espe.
Gay VAIN h ene nsans 81 fe the c We fn
Japan promptly forbidding the enter
prise on the ground that. it is a tres
pass on its rights secured from Russia
as the result of the war.
Thus Japan coolly announces itself
to be the heir TO Russian pretensions
in Manchuria. irrespective Of any in
are supposed to have In their own
country or without regard TO-, Eng
John Bull is such slow old soul that
no one can tell Just how much disap-
ing out of the traces. but that ulti-
mately his patience will end there can
be no doubt. a surprising phase of
tne situation Is JapanS seeming indif-
ference to the mistake it is making.
ALLEVIATE England. Japan is merely
kicking out the prop that is holding
1t up. Has it never occurred to the
Japanese statesmen that if they insist
upon making their administration in
Manchuria merely an imitation of Rus
sian domination. they will inevi-
fell their predecessors?
copyright, 1905, by Frederic j.
Haskin.)
-Morrow-.Japan's Army and Navy.