The Hawaiian gazette., 1908-05-29

il was with the understanding that the
success of Japanese arms would mean
the restoration of the open door, pol
icy. or equal trading rights for all ma
tons. The assurances of Japan's fair
intentions were widely published
throughout England and America with
the result that a most favorable public
opinion was created in these countries.
America was led TO believe that Japa-
nese success meant an open field, and
as a consequence its moral support was
freely given. England, particularly,
believed that Japan would play fair
with her, and gave the moral and fl
nancial assistance without which the
forces of the Mikado could not possi-
bly, have pushed their campaign to sue
cess.
While England's primary object in
supporting Japan may have been its
fear of future Russian aggression on
the Indian border, it is certain that John
Bull never regarded his new ally as
the dangerous trade rival which Japan
has proved to be. 1t is said that Eng
land merely used Japan as a catspaw
to pull British chestnuts out of the
Russian fire. But at the same time it
cannot be denied that Russian ag-
gression was more dangerous to Japan
than to England. and that England
rendered a greater service to Japan in
backing it in the war than Japan rem
dered to England in reducing Russia
to innocuous desuetude. The service
which Japan has given to England was
too
which England could have supplied it
self by a greater expenditure. But
Japan's very life was at stake, and all
hope of Japanese national aggrandize-
ment would have vanished had not
England given moral support in the
fight with Russia. Even now, if Eng
land renounces the alliance, the Rising
sun of Japanese Asiatic Empire will
surely. even if slowly, decline.
What of the alliance now? 1t is with
mingled feelings of surprise and dis
gust that our English cousins are be-
ginning to realize that they have made
worse than a dry haul. The result of
the war not only means that Southern
Manchuria has been merely transferred
from Russia to japanese domination,
but that England in fosering and up
holding the influence of Japan has in
reality been equipping the most ag-
gressive, uncompromising and unfair
rival that British interests have ever
encountered in the East.
The Fakumen railway incident shows
how little regard Japan really has for
British interests. Fakumen is a mark
ct city on the border between Nom
golia and Manchuria, fifty miles north
east of Hsinminfu, the present north
ern terminus of the Imperial Railroads
of North China. Fakumen is forty
miles from the nearest point on the
South Manchurian railway, the line
which the japanese took from the Rus
SLAMS as the spoils of war. The pro-
posed extension from Hsinmifu to
Fakumen is a part of the Imperial
Railroads of North China, and the con-
struction is in the hands of the British
Corporation, which, as its name indi-
Gates, is backed by English capital.
The proposed line would tap a section
of country heretofore undeveloped, and
its construction could not interfere with
the japanese railway because of the
distance between the two. According
to Japan's ante-bellum open door prom
Uses one would suppose that there would
be no objection to China developing a
part of its own territory, especially
when backed by the capital of Japan's
ally, England: yet we find Japan
promptly forbidding the enterprise on
the ground that it is a trespass on its
rights secured from Russia as the re-
suit of the war.
Thus Japan coolly announces itself to
be the heir to Russian pretensions in
Manchuria, irrespective of any inherent
rights or privileges the Chinese are
supposed to have in their own country,
or without regard to England's inter-
ests. to whose friendly assistance it
owes its present position. John Bull
is such a slow old soul that no one
can tell just how much disappoint
ment he viii suffer before kicking out
Of the traces. but that ultimately his
patience will end there can be no
doubt. A surprising phase of the sit
uation is Japan's seeming indifference
10 the mistake it is making. In adopt
ing any course that will ALLEVIATE Eng
land. Japan is merely kicking out the
prop that is holding it up. Has it never
occurred to the Japanese statesmen
that if they insist upon making their
administration in Manchuria merely
an imitation of Russian domination,
that they will inevitably fall her to the
finish that befell their predecessors?