RUSSIA AND JAPAN.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 406, 18 February 1904, Page 5

RUSSIA AND JAPAN.

The sympathy of the world, speaking generally, is certainly on the side of Japan. For one thing, what the world sees is a little State standing dauntlessly in front of a big State. Japan has a population of less than 45,000,000 Russia has a population of 140,000,000. It is a battle-betwixt Tom Thumb and the giant! All the world, too, has learned to deeply mistrust Russian diplomacy, and to dread Russian ambitions. Woe to the State—strong or weak—whose borders'match with those of Russia. Russia has a giant's appetite as well as a giant's strength, and whole provinces are but morsels for its hungry jaws. But which ever side wins, the emergence of a new Power in the East is almost certain to b« one of the results of the coming conflict. A cablegram from Tokio reports that the plans of Russia include the establishment of control over China,'and the training of its vast hosts by Russian agents. It is certain that the dreams of Japan herself look in the same direction. The brutal strength" of China for shaft, and either Japan or Russia for spear-head, would constitute a weapon at which the world might tremble l—Dr Ktctott, in "iif*° .