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Show JAPAN INVITES WOE. Japan occupies somewhat the same position on the coast of Asia that England Eng-land does on the coast of Europe. To a certain extent, the political relations between island and continent aro the same. At this time Japan appears to be preparing for herself some of the woes that England inflicted upon herself her-self in the middle ages and almost down to our own time. Japan is trying more and more to extend her influence and possessions in China. Alrealy she has annexed Korea and has a dominant sphere of influence in Manchuria. I As long as England held territory ! upon the continent she was at war, and her ambitions only weakened her. At length she became content to establish neutral states between herself and her ancient enemy, France. The great war with Napoleon started when he seized the mouth of the " Scheldt river and thus occupied the neutral territory which has loner been held by the Netherlands Nether-lands aud Belgium. While Great Britain Brit-ain w-as engaged in the European wars of the last half of the eighteenth and the first years of the nineteenth centuries cen-turies to maintain the balance of power on the continent, she was compelled to engage in important wars on this side of the water. There was the French and Indian war, which brought about Braddock 's disastrous defeat. Then! came our war for independence ana the war of 1S12. Americana canuot look upon the Asiatic situation without sympathy for China, and yet they gee Japan involv- j ing herself in troubles which neccs-I earily must render it impossible for , her to engage in any war on this side 1 of the Pacific for many years to come. : The demands which she has just made 1 upon China are of such a nature as to j deepen the hatred of the Chinese and j to hasten the day when they will seek to throw off the yoke of the Japanese and drive them back to their own island, is-land, just as England was driven back . from the continent of Europe into her : island several centuries ago. In other ; words, Japan will be so busy taking .care of her political interests and fighting fight-ing wars on the continent of Asia that she will have neither time nor money, even if she has the disposition, to fight with the United States. But while the Americans sympathize with the Chinese, they cannot but re- prret that the Japanese arc undertaking such a gigantic adventure into a wilderness wild-erness of trouble. While all the world is yearning for peace and disarmament and is becoming heartily sick of aggression, aggres-sion, the Japanese are confirmed la a policy of militarism aud expansion. The world of tomorrow will set its face sternly against such a rjolicy, aud then Japan is apt to find herself isolated in her troubles. A little later, perhaps, frhe will see the folly of her ways and will make friends with China. This will permit the overflowing population of Japan to obtain ao outlet, but will place a bau on the theory that the flag and tho army muet follow the emigrant. |