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Show SYMPATHY VERSUS GRATITUDE. The fact is indisputable that a large 'mjority of the American press is for Japan as against Russia. Rus-sia. It is not so certain that all the readers of these newspapers have made up their minds to adopt the views and subscribe to the hostile sentiments daily expressed in print. Here and there we find leading lead-ing metropolitan dailies that discuss the Eastern question from a broad standpoint, and again we find a few others edited by men above the passions of the hour and generous enough to side with the nation that befriended their country. Such notable exceptions are. the Xew York Times and the Chicago Chi-cago Inter-Ocean. There may be, and probably are, others. . - It is a mistake to lay the blame for this sentiment senti-ment against Russia at 'the doer of Anglo-Americans. There are comparatively few such in this country, and their influence does not count with the common people. There never was nor never can be any genuine love for England, even among native-born Americans. Xaturally they resent the charge persistently urged by the Catholic press that this country is to be tempted to pull England's chestnuts out of the fire. But if we analyze the basis of America's sympathy for Japan, we find, first, it proceeds from the natural inclination to side with the weaker nation in its struggle for existence, ex-istence, as manifested once before in the war which Great Britain inflicted upon tiie Boers. Second, it is the mad lust which our -people have for dominion domin-ion outside the boundaries of the states, encouraged encour-aged by the results of our war with Spain and insidiously in-sidiously instilled into the education of our youth. Already the American trusts are taking advantage of this insane desire of the people, by backing up the congressional bill for an enormous appropriation appropria-tion for more .battleships, cruisers and torpedo boats. In spite of Secretary Hay's insincere note to the powers urging t,he guarantee of China's neutrality neu-trality and autonomy, China will be partitioned at the end of the war, no matter which nation is victor, vic-tor, but the spoils will be. greater if Russia is left out. The trusts are confident of this ultimate result re-sult as well as Mr. Hay is sure of it. So it is that in spite of the peace sentiment which only a short time ago gave hope and courage, in disregard of tradition, in forget fulness of warnings against entangling en-tangling alliances, in the face of a friendly power that aided our country when we sorelv needo.l nc- sistance, the American people will not say nay to taxation for a "world-power" havy, but rather rejoice re-joice at the first opportunity the administration gives them for conquest in Asia, as the ally of Japan Ja-pan or England or both. This sounds like a note of alarm. Would it were a false alarm! Already the jingo newspapers are preparing their readers by suggesting that the time may come for American intervention in Asia; that war is not only possible but probable, and but half concealing the hope that the time is not far distant. dis-tant. One hears the same sentiments boldly proclaimed pro-claimed on the streets. War talk is in the air. Even the children take sides with the hostile nations na-tions and engage in alley brawls. Russians in Xew York are insulted "and their children assaulted by school companions. Verily the dragon's teeth sown by the jingo newspaper is producing a harvest destructive to the cool judgment and reason of the people. To talk of peace, international arbitration. is talk wastcil amid all these indications and I preparations- to destroy peace. If a dozen God-fearing' persons could have been found in Sodom and Gomorrah, those cities would not have been doomed to destruction. More than that number reside in this city whose voices are j for peace, despite the contradictions of jingo newspapers. news-papers. Among members of the Grand Army of the Republic, rarely is one found who Upholds the attack upon Lincoln's European ally in the civil war. These old men feel the stinging force of the editorials put out by the Xovoe Vremye of St. Petersburg. What reply can they make? What reply re-ply could the jingo newspapers make to the Xovoe " remye? Xone have been vain enough to attempt a reply, for - ; "He that's ungrateful, has no guilt but' one;' All other crimes may pass for virtues in him." |