The Washington herald., 1910-01-02
IN THE MARKET
Russia Is Anxious to Sell Her Moety-DangerS the United
States Would Entail by It's Acquisition

long before any troops could be dispatched
to the far East by any Of the powers
mentioned
Possessed moreover. Of a magnificent
fleet. superior in size to the naval forces
of any other nation In that part Of the
world, shs would be difficult to dislodge.
Indeed, when the ineradicable and IN
herent prejudice Of ali Orientals against
the white races is taken into considera-
ton. a prejudice to which the Japanese
will be able to appeal in order to arouse
the natives against their white rulers.
It is probable that they would be able
TO render themselves impregnable before
the naval and military re-enforcements
could reach the scene. either from Amer
lea or from Europe
Even England, with her great navy.
would find 1t difficult to hold Australia.
at any rate the northern portion there
Of. against q japanese invasion-a pos
sibility which is q subject Of such pro-
found concern to the Australian Com
monwealth, that It has invited Lord
Kitchener, VINO is now there, to devise
means of defense.
If / recur to this condition Of affairs.
It is not with the object Of endeavoring
10 promote international scares. or Ill
viii between nations now at peace. But
what / wish TO point out, is that it is
Of very great Importance that the United
States should remain on friendly terms
with the Japanese; that there are
already plenty Of causes Of friction in
connection with the possession Of the
Philippines. the trade in Manchuria. the
treatment Of the japanese in the Western
States, &c, without adding thereto by
the acquisition through purchase, no
matter at how great bargain, Of the
northern half Of Saghalien from Russia
The late Prince Ito was Of all Japa-
nese statesmen the principal champion
Of policy of peace. and Of economic en-
deavor in his native land. His mantle
as far as power and influence are con-
cerned, has fallen upon the shoulders of
another one Of the elder statesmen, the
! Marquis Katsura, who Is a soldier by
profession, and who rightly or wrongly
il regarded, Ike his ally Prince Yama-
gaia, the Moltke Of Japan. as disposed
70 war rather than 10 peace.
Al any rate. neither Of them can be re-
garded as constituting the same bulwark
against the Chauvinism Of their country
men as was formed by Ito: and were
popular sentiment 70 be aroused In Japan
against the United States, as on some
former occasions. they might be either
powerless or unwilling TO stand In the
way Of the VIII OF the people.
That is why the acquisition Of Sag
hslien ought not for one moment TO be
dreamt Of by the United States, which
should take the earliest occasion OF
setting at rest. not alone the Tokyo
government. but the entire people OF
Japan. on the subject OF the designs
attributed 20 il by the European press
Of acquiring from Russia the northern
half of Saghalien.
Unfortunately the United States has q
name abroad as a ready and extremely
( liberal purchaser OF territory. and as being
ever willing 20 expend some Of its
I inexheustble resources in the acquisition
OF new landed possessions. II purchased
/ Louisiana from France, Florida> from
Spain. New Mexico from Mexico. Alaska
| from Russia, the Panama Canal Zone
from the republic OF Panama, and even
went so far as 10 pay 100000 to Spain
in return for the latter's abandonment OF
all her claims to the Philippine Islands
The United States has also made re-
peated offers to purchase the Danish
West Indies. actually negotiating a treaty
1 for their acquisition. 10 which the Danish
T legislature refused ratification; and made
/ several tenders to Spain for the purchase
/ Of the Antilles, one Of which would have
/ almost gone through some fifty years ago