The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1908-07-10

agreed to eyacuate Manchuria COM
pletely by the end of October, 1903.
1t was pure case of stealing, and
yet no country felt like taking up the
case for China, as Russia was consid-
cred a strong nation and stood to win
against any individual power of the
world who attempted to GUST her from
Manchuria.
All this time our little brown broth
ers of the Flowery Kingdom were grit
ting their teeth, envious with rage be-
cause Russia had secured Manchuria,
which country Japan was anxious to
get hold of herself, and. finally, their
well feigned friendship for China
(who they had themselves fought
only a few years previously caused
them to seize the gauntlet which Rus
STA had thrown down and fight it out,
for the principle of the thing, astutely
disclaiming personal greed in the
matter, and with what result? The
unexpected happened, as is usually the
case Japan whipped Russia simply
because the latter looked at the whole
thing as mere child's play, and march
ed to war in drunken debauch, but
came out of it in a bloody rage, yet
defeated-fOr the time being.
Prior to the close of the war, as we
all know, President Roosevelt took
hand, and the Portsmouth treaty
was the result Russia stuck to her
bargain this time and completely
evacuated Manchuria within the stipu-
lated time, but the Japanese remained
for a long time, and only withdrew
in April, 1906, after having made all
manner of excuses about the disquiet-
ing influences of the country, etc.
They withdrew in form only, but left
moral influence which it will be
hard to eradicate.
They virtually dominate this coun-
try now, and maintain post offices
in this city which they have absolutely
no right to maintain; they take pos
session of excellent plots of land and
build houses thereon without paying
one cent, and when the Chinese au-
thorities complain to the Japanese
Consul he simply says that his poor
people must have some place to live,
and that is the end of it so far as
Chinese rule goes, but the Jap con-
tinues to steal land and build houses
and shops, while all of the other con-
suls refuse to sanction the buying
of land by any of their nationals. A
mighty queer state of affairs, the
only solution of which seems to be
that the Chinese know that Japan has
once had 100000 troops On her soil
and that she can easily put them there
again if China kicks up a row about
the Japanese occupation of Man
churia. This whole question is what
is known as the "open door in Man
churia" and about which Uncle Sam
has a good deal to say of late, and
which, if one likes to surmise, was the
real reason why the American fleet
was sent to the Pacific.
You will remember that only a few
months ago Congress agreed to pay
back to China part of the Boxer in
demnity. Since I have been here s.
100000 taels of this indemnity money
has been sent here by the Picking gov
eminent. The money situation IN
Manchuria is the curse of The Liace
as today it is way up and tomorrow
it is down, the cause being due, in q
way, to the shrewd manipulation OF
the currency by the officials. Thcre
is no stable basis on which to work
and this causes many failures among
the merchants, who work on a small
margin of profit, and often stand tC
lose on a deal, and if the luck is
against them they lose lot, whereas
if they win out their profits are very
small in comparison with western
peoples profits.
1 failed to state in the first part Of
this letter that the heads of all Man
chu families who can prove them
selves so to be receive a bonus Of
tae1S Is Der wear as sort of pension
for their services in helping to defea1
the Chinese. This is also very sore
spot with the Chinese themselves. Ii
way it is like the Civil War pensions
at home, at least it is on the same
principle, yet the Manchus were diff.
ferent race of people and they are now
being paid out of the combined resour.
ces of China and Manchuria. The
people who receive this bonus are
called Bannermen. A tael is equiv.
alent to about seventy-five gold cents
so you see it is not very much; still