The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-08-14
STANTON FOR WAR WITH JAPAN


( That there is never any telling what may
be going in the mind Of man is shown
/ by the sudden accrstion TO the lingo cause
OF Richard Weightman, editor OF the Stanton
Neaes. When Mr.. Weightman was making the
coInmns of the New York Sun shine with hts
peculiar brand OF editorial polish, we Thought
% him of peace, ready to run for
ga iety at the sight of ferocioua rabbit intent
on tonng down all incarnadined prophecies
o. lurid war 10 the mauye- colored facts OF
peace and plenty. Never would we have sus-
pected, in those days, that the warcry OF Hoo
sen found echo In his soul Yet, tha:
he Ia sufficiently away from the coast, we find
! him seeming the battle even while the Emu
peIor of the enemy-to-he lies in state at Toxic
Mr. Knox goes TO Japan as a member of Mr.
Tarts administration There :s no particular
good Will betweH1 the two countries Japan IL
schemfng for "A foothold Mexican sofia
scheme which congress has Just sla pped souarey
in the face. She has army, yelled If thinly, ga
iseorers etc, in the Hawaiian Islands she Is
determined and nsolent poacher seal
preserves IN the Aleutian rookeries and now
in collision with Russia, she is closing doors
Against our commercial and financial activities in
Asin, Does Mr.. Knox go TO Toxic hoping to
heal the wound of Magdaiena bay. expecting
to push the Chinese loan seeking admis-
sion to the guard storehouses of Chinese and
Manehnrian trade: He goes. of course, to shed
tear In august company and thereby certify
IL burning International affection that exists on
paper and fourishes in ceremonial But dollar
diplomacy goes win him be very sure Of that,
and we await the issue with uncomfortable
anxiety.
If. however. he thinks TO placate any or
Japan's resentments or TO modify any Of her
rooted aspirations he is wasting his llustrious
time AS well put taioum powder running
sore check Niagara with q. dip net Japan
will forcgo her designs on this hemisphere when
the United states has crushed her-not one
moment sooner; when we nave the remnants of
her armies throwing cocoanuts from trees and
thberng al pedestrians, like the monkeys they
really are.
AS 10 the impending war. every man has
right 10 his opinion. In that event, the
happy state Will be TO be beyond the age of
military service. with children not yet arrived
r.: the age of enlistment. SO situated We may
find an added thrll in the reading OF the
morning paper. But where does the distin-
gulshed editor or the Stanton Ne1cs find
Justification for putting the Japanese in the
Simian class? The monkey, of course. Ia iml-
tative; and are the Japanese. But imita
ton is not always a vice, especially when X
inspires TO originality aud TO improvement
When it comes TO availng themselves Of every
thing that the civilization has learned, the
Japanese lead the world. But that they stop,
like the monkey. with repeating The thing they
have seen. is not deduction that can Justly be
drawn from their history. They have merely
appropriated knowledge and experience With
out waste OF time or loss OF energy The
thing they initiate they improve upon That
il this respect they differ from Americans is
rather~to our dseredit than theirs The Jap
enese. for instance learned all that Western
civilization knew about war and then Inn !
proved il as to establish many presidents. /
How does this compare, for instance, with thu
OF this country 20 take tine hrsr !
steps toward renovating ancient financial
system long since outIawed by the better usage !
o. other nations
Personally. We believe that the japanese |!
have far initiated the better thought OF
the strong nations as to make the possibility /
OF conflict with this country particularly re- /
mote II that prove not the case. the crisis |
VIII have TO be met I'm some other apirit than /
that OF contempt Unlike the tandarioo to |
which the hegs compares them, the Japanese
have most dsconcerting habit OF not talking
about what they are going to do until they
have d0ns IT,