OCR Text |
Show I WAR WILL COST THREE BILLIONS H What Japan and Russia fill Spend. Japanese Warned to Pre-pare Pre-pare for a Long Con- Termination of Hostilities It Is Now Impossible to Foretell, According fl to Count Okuma. H XOKIO, Oct. 0 In addressing- tho mem-H mem-H bora of the United Clearing houses of fl Toklo today. Count Okuma, tho leader Hj of tho Progressive party, warned thb H people to prepare for a long war, tho H dato of tho termination of which It was H now Impossible to forotcll. He predicted H that the cost to Japan for a two-years' H war, including tho loans which had been H already placed and tho expenses conse-H conse-H fluent upon tho war at Its termination. Hj would total ono billion dollars, which H would mako tho per capita sharo amount j to $20. Corruption in Russia. H Count Okuma said that corruption ap-peared ap-peared to pervade the military, political and financial departments of tho Rua-Hj Rua-Hj slan Government, and. that this corrtip-Hj corrtip-Hj tlon had almost resulted In a climax which threatened a revolution. It was Hl even reported that Lleut.-Gcn. Stocssel, Hj now defending Port Arthur, and upon whose shoulders rested the responsibility for tho loss of a large sharo of Russian prestige In Bast Asia, was guilty of dls-slpatlon dls-slpatlon during the siege. The speaker j declared that the weaknesses of tho Rua-H Rua-H elans gave tho Japanese many victories. Ho pointed out that dcsplto her defeats, Hj Russia continued to hold a prominent and commanding position In Europo, and said that even Emperor William was "courting tho favor of the Russian auto- Cost Russia Two Billions. Hj Despite her weaknesses. Count Okuma Hj said, Russia possessed Immense resources and lmd tremendous advantages In tho size of her population and the greatness of her wealth, and it would be necessary H for tho Japanese to make heavy sacrl-flees sacrl-flees In order to attain success. Ho pre-dieted pre-dieted that tho war would cost Russia from one and a hal billion to two billion dollars, and said It would be impossible to raise loans or to Increase the taxes j In Russia because the limit had been Hj reached. J aps Will Need Funds. Tho Count predicted that it would be necessary for the Japanese Government to j borrow S250.0M.OM next year and added that if 57o,COO,000 wero secured abroad tho country must face n depreciation In the value of Its securities. Count Okuma urged tho nation to care-fully care-fully husband Jts strength and resources and expressed tho fullest contldonce In j the ultimate victory of Japanese arms. Retrenchment tho Order. Tho prefectural Governors arc now meeting in Toklo and are conferring with I members of the Cabinet. The prefectural expenses have been reduced by $10.000,0"0 since the beginning of hostilities and old retrenchments are planned for the pur-pose pur-pose of strengthening the national finances, SUPPLIES FOR JAPS. Enormous Quantities Arriving- for the fl Winter Campaign. FIELD HEADQUARTERS OF THE SECOND JAPANESE ARMY, Oct. 5. via Fusan, Oct. C Tho Japanese arc brlng-ing brlng-ing up enormous quantities of supplies j nnd ammunition for tho winter cam-palgn. cam-palgn. uslnc the reconstructed railway, carls and Junks on tho Llao and Taltse rivers. The railroad traffic Is unlntor-rupted unlntor-rupted and additional soldiers continue to arrive. Outpost skirmishes are con-u con-u i0 lhc Vlrat a,ld Fourth armies, LH , troops are Standing the climato splendidly, few being reported sick. Cold -weather Is Just beginning. |