The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1910-03-31
OF THE WAR ON
JAPAN AS A NAT
From the wa,hInrton Star.

From the Washington Star.
ever since the Japanese won their
first victory over the Russians before
Port Arthur, at the beginning OF 1904,
the people Of the western world, par
ticularly the Americans and the Brit
ish. have been continuously applaud
Ing the little brown men for thef1
bravery. their naval and military skill,
and. in particular, their self repression
under circumstances such as might
make the staidest people do foolish
things.
In fact there has been a continuous
flood of general praise for the Japanese
They are sure, it is said, to be a most
important world power in the future,
Not only this, but their power is GER
tain to be exercised for the good of all
mankind. They represent the western
civilization in the eastern half of the
world. They stand for occidental prog
ress as opposed to oriental conserva-
tism.
From the very beginning of the pres
ent however. there have been a
few discordant notes in the generally
approving chorus Here and there a
voice Of protest has been raised. DC
%casionally some one has inquired
better for the world with the Japanese
as victors than with the Russians.
Along with this dissenting query there
was for awhile a considerable number
of people who thought that perhaps the
Japanese might not win after all.
Wait and see," said they, wait UNI
til the Russians get their second wind"
Ever since the passing of the hope
for Russian victory the chorus of dis
sent from the general satisfaction over
Japan's uniform victories has been
growing. and many minds are now be-
ing turned inquiringly toward the prob
able outcome.
View Of the Pessimists.
1t is held by those of pessimistic
ton that while Japan does actually
stand for progress. 1t is now for prog
ress Of a wholly materialistic n sell
fish sort.
That Japan cares only for Japan and
not at all for the rest of the world.
That the little brown men are not
worrying their heads a bit about the
preservation of American trade in the
orient, or the spread Of Christianity
among the heathen.
That they will be quite satisfied il
they are able to TAX care OF their Nv
interests in the orient; and
That, II necessary. the splendid ava
and military fighting forces they have
built up will be turned against any of
the occidental nations which may OBJ
ject to the Japanese methods of garner
ing the fruits of their victory; that,
in fact. they will be ever ready to pick
a quarrel with any of the western ma
lions which does not conduct itself in
the far east along lines that are en-
tirely satisfactory to them.
Some, even, ave declared 1t more
than probable that the Japanese are
likely, some time. to turn against the
United States.
They foresee the m Of the far
east absorbed gradually but surely by
the Japanese. They foresee the jap
anese islands dotted with manufac-
tories, their ambient skies clouded with
the smoke of chimneys. and the ORR
entail market for foreign manufacturers
not only in Japan, but in China and
elsewhere, practically wiped out.
OF foreigners growing in intensity from
year to year, until finally their chances
in chrysanthemum and shall be cut
down to little or nothing.
They foresee coming opposition to the
Christian mission. They foresee ia
pans eager hand stretched out toward
the Philippines. They foresee a gen
orient to h advantage solely of the
Japs. And they believe that stimu-
lated by Japan's example and under
Japanese guidance, China will awake.
Awakened, she will close the open
door" to the celestial empire for good
and all.
The present Chinese boycott against
American goods is pointed out as only
the beginning of this movement.
1t is lever we'll to give too much
heed to the pessimists, but there are
some things about Japan and the Jap
anese that are not altogether pleasant
when viewed from the western stand
point.
1t is a curious thing that almost all
the correspondents who went to Japan
in the beginning OF the war with Rus
STA came away disgruntled and full of
resentment, because of their treat
ment. They did not complain that they
had been treated impolitely; the Jap
anese ave never been charged with a
lack of surface courtesy. But, as no
reader can well have forgotten, the cor
respondents charged the Japs with
downright, vulgar lying. not once, but
over and over again. when the truth
would have done as well. or better.
The charge made by the correspond
liars is not a new M 1t has been
made by the majority Of the men who
have dealt with them in business ever
since Japan was opened to outside
trade. Pleasure tourists have general
ly been fairly we'll satisfied with the
ruin aS ola Dy the JapS, but men who
buy from them and sell to them are al
ways singing another song.
Japanese %apologists admit that there
is some foundation for the charge of
general untruthfulness against them.
The Marquis Ito himself has admitted
1T. But in an interview published the
wide world over two or three years
he said it ought not to be taken too
seriously. because the Japanese mer-
chants are gradually learning to tell
the truth In effect. he said that in the
circumstances 1T was a wonderful thing
that they are not bigger liars thai
they are. Until some time in the nine
ties. he explained. the merchant class
had belonged to almost the lowest So
cial grade in all Japan, only the out
casts and beggars standing lower.
Even the servants were higher social
ly than the merchants in the old days,
The latter were the butt of every one.
almost compelled, in order to survive
at all. to resort to every kind of deceit.
Their prices continually beaten down.
no matter how low, they were obliged
to put them far too high at the start,
and than lilo lilo Thieves ,,,%ll o,oL go