The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-01-07
RUSSIA SEEKS TO
CONTROL TERRITORY
NEAR ITS RAILROAD
Chinese Towns of SIav Appear
ance on Line OF Siberian
Line

Hardin, Manchuria, Jan. RUS
sla,s desire to control that portion of
northern Manchuria through which
the Trans-Siberian Railway runs is
uppermost in the minds of all Rus
slams in this section, and they are con-
stantly expressing the hope that the
European war will result in such a
Reimbursement in the affairs of the
Far East that Russia may gain ac-
tua1 possession of the territory
through which it's railway passes.
Although Hardin has an immense
Chinese population, it is almost as
Russian in it's architecture and in the
manners and customs of its people as
city in the very heart of Russia
The other cities and towns along the
Trans iberian line in Manohuria are
also practically Russian in. every
thing but name. The Russian as
sumption of authority, in fact, in such
that the German, prisoners who may
have escaped from Siberia are fire.
quently seized in Chinese territory by
Russian soldiers. The Russians have
even taken the escaped German pris-
oners away from Chinese soldiers who
were protecting them in Chinese ter
1itory. This has called forth bitter
complaints from Germans in Man
churia-
Conditions in Mongolia south of
the Trans-Sibert Railway, are much
the same as in that part of Man
churfa through which the railway ac-
tuaIly runs. Russians have practic-
ally all the trade in Mongolia, espe-
cia11y the northern part, and it is in
effect a Russian dependency rather
than a Chinese territory.
The Kutuktu, the head of the
Euddhists in Mongolia, who is resi-
dent at Urga and who is the most
powerful leader in Central Asia, ne
gotiated an agreement last June by
which China's nominal control of
Outer Mongolia was to be recognized,
but he has recently refused to carry
out terms of the agreemen AL
though Russia, as we'll as China, was
a, party to the agreement it is charg-
ed by some Chinese officials that the
Kutuktu has been influenced in some
way by the Russians who desired to
create friction. The Monaghan peo-
pie. themselves. have frequently en-
deavored to get Russia to recognize
them as an Independent state and de-
fend them against China and Japan.
Chinese officials are endeavoring to
persuade the Kutuktu to carry out his
agreement, but it is reported that
Chen-1o the Chinese diplomat who is
at sUrga conducting the negotiations
is held practically a-prisoner by the
Buddhist leader.
Outer Mongolia is now also in a
state of ferment. Bandit completes
are operating all along the border of
China proper, and apparently haye
recently gained much strength. With
an internal struggle on hand, the
Chinese army is not in a position to
do much in Mongolia. Japanese arms
and ammunition have reached the
bandits in large quantities Repre-
sensations concerning this traffic
have been made to the Japanese gov
eminent whose reply has been that
Japan has no control of private ship
n1GntS of arms.
Manchuria, has made very slow pro-
gress in an agricultural way and is
far less prosperous than portions of
Siberia. where the Russians have col
onized. The Chinese farm with lit
tie idea of developing the country
permanently. Manchuria, however,
offers far better opportunities to the
Russians than Siberia, as the climate
is more favorable and markets are
better 1t is a comparatively short
haul from any point of Manchuria to
tidewater.