TUESDAY, JUNE 5, 1900.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 2, 5 June 1900, Page 2

TUESDAY, JUNE 5, 1900.

The trouble , between Russia and Japan seems to have reached a point beyond which only war is possible. The immediate cause of the dispute is not in itself a very serious one, but behind it 1 68 the .significant fact that Russia has been ceaselessly expanding, absorbing or paralysing every other Eastern nation in ite path, and that in Japan alone it has come upon a people determined td^e^st its' aggression to the utmost. Tt*is the <• Great Britain of the Eitst " that offers the inos t formidable barrier to the Russians overrunning the whole of China. The Korean, dispute is « fhe little

cloud gathering which threatens to be followed by a typhoon in which kingdoms and empires may be wrecked." Great Britain and America are particularly in terested in preventing a a asfcrophe in this part of the world, and, but for the South African war, it might have beei> possible to unite the Powers in agreement which would hav< permanently neutralised Koren and thus made a buffer Stati between the two conflicting peoples The case as it stands seems a particularly favourable one for arbitration. Both Japan and Russia are independent States, and all the Great Powers — Britain, America, France and Germany — have a vital interest in settling the dispute without war. They all realise that behind the fate of Japan looms that of China. With Korea in Russian hands, its fine harbours filled with Russian ships, its fifteen millions of people providing Russian soldiers, and with Japan crushed and helpless, Russia would be beyond the control of other -nations, and China would soon be its next field of operations. It is in this way that the Muscovite Empiie has always grown, until to-day it is an im mease mosaic, formed from bits of Sweden, Prussia, Austria, Poland, the Danubian Principalities, Tuikey, i Circassia, Persia, Afghanistan ami China. Th* wonder is that Japan has been able to hold her huge antagonist in check so long. Her success has not been due to apathy on the part of her opponent. By a treaty, concluded in April, 1898, both parties recogni>el the sovereignty and entire independence of Korea, and pledged themselves to abstain from all direct interference in its internal affairs, and from, appointing military instructors or financial advisers except by mutual agreement. Unfortunately this settlement was not meant to last. In ja very short time Russia was trying to secure the leasehold of three Korean harbours and an important strategic position at Masampo and one of the Pan- ; slavist organs openly urged that action should be takeu while Great Britain was occupied in cSouth Africa. Just now the prospect looks blacker than ever, because both sides are making active preparations'for hostilities. Russia can now pour in v her Cossacks by the Trans-Siberian railway, and for months her cruisers have been carrying fresh troops to Vladivo.stock and Port Arthur. iln one week of March alon« 15,000 men. left Odessa for the Far East. Japan, on her side, is active and alert. Her waters are said to be alive with torpedoes ; her army is well disciplined and well equipped, and her people are united and eager for war, buoyed up, no doubt, by the memory of their success against China. They have the advantage of abundant coal supplies, good harbours, and excellent railway communication, but probably these could onlj prolong the struggle. Japan itself could not resist Russia. II would fall to pieces as Greece did before Turkey, Sp^in -, before America, and as the South African Republics lire now doing before Great Britain. Korea would give it no assistance, ,for the people of the Hermit Kingdom are divided into two sections, pro-Japanese and proRusßians, and apparently the latter are the stronger, -while all alike are superstitious and backward. No»- does any alliance seem probable. Much as Japan desires one with Great Britain, neither that country nor the United States wish to risk a war with the Colossus of the North. The only hope ip thut the two

Anglo-Saxon Powers, both of whom are very friendly to Japan, may unite in peaceful intervention. Japan, even for its own sake, is well worth some exertion. It is by far the most promising of all Eastern nations, more liberal and tolerant, more civilised and moral than Russia itself, We can hardly believe that the AngloSaxon Powers will allow such a beacon in the darkness of the iilast to be extinguished without raising something more than a verbal protest on its behalf.

Of late, since the beginning of the . Boer war, we have heard of a great deal of pro-Boer sentiment in America, incited or assumed for political purposes, and many friends of Britain have warned us that during the coming presidential election much anti-British spirit will be shown. However the well-known Dr Talmage, who ! is just now in London, takes a more cheerful view of the 1 position. Since resigning his pastorate at Washington, a year and a half ago, he has made a tour of the whole of the United States. Eeferring to the rumour of American intervention in the Transvaal, he says, "Do not believe it. The Government of the United States will do nothing that in any ""ay could obstruct Britain. We remember our common origin. A thousand bonds of common sympathies, common interests, knit us together America has not yet forgotten Britain's helpful attitude in our hour of trouble. We shall not interfere with you, for we recognise that you could now no more suffer intervention than we could have done so during our Civil War." That is his opinion, and the action of President McKinley and his colleagues certainly seem to bear out his view of the case. The only trouble that might arise would, he thinks, be due to American ignorance on this particular question, fostered and encouraged by politicians who Lope to make the Transvaal question very prominent dux-ing the coming election. H9 considers the hope will be a 'vain one, as it is more tnan probable that some new development of local questions will drive the British one out of mind. The appearance of Admiral D-nvey as a candidate for the Presidency altered the general position very materially, he being very popular, and enormously wealthy. " However, if you ask ms," continued Dr Talmage, "I believe that* McKinley will be our next President. The friends of Dewey will attack the present Administration in every way, and it is always possible to find some flaws in a great Government. Yet I believe the American people recognise his great qualities for his position, and that next November they will re-elect him. But tdere will be no pro-Boer plank in the M'Kinley platform, and it will be well for tbe American people, and better for Britain if I prove a true prophet." We can only hope he may prove so, becaurfe au alliance between the great English speaking peoples of the world would be Hut-est of all preventions to a big War in the future.