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Show IS IT TO BE A RACE PROBLEM? There is a theory among some of those who study the stars, that nations are ruled by their own planets and suns and that they run their courses In about twenty-two hundred and fifty years. Some exist longer, but they are like Dr. Osier's old men, the spring is gone, they never more accomplish any new. thing, and for all they are to the world's progress might as well be chloroformed. Since the Russo-Japanese war began, some men have watched the progress and have been wondering if similar influences may not have their effect upon races. The Caucasian has from the first ruled the world. Is he about to step down and pass under the yoke of the Brown and Yellow races? It comes from China that newspapers are increasing with wondeful rapidity in that tremendous tremen-dous empire and that a large proportion of the books being issued by Chinese authors during the past two years have been devoted to the art of waging wars, to the discussion of the sciences, especially such as are chiefly invoked in prosecuting prosecut-ing a nation's industries, and the thought Is that the great empire Is about to throw off Its immemorial im-memorial inertia and to begin a new career. The reader will remember the farewell words of the late Chinese minister Wu, which were equivalent to those carried to Rome In the old days: "You have thrown down the challenge to us. See that your walls be strong!" As military men read what Japanese generals and admirals are doing, they are forced to admit that nothing is lacking in their science, while the men behind the guns on sea and land are giving the world new lessons of what valor and patriotism are when called out to the very utmost. Is this eastern war but the beginning of a struggle to determine whether the white man or the brown and yellow men are to dominate this old world? There are seven hundred millions of those races in Japan, China and India, and grasshoppers when they fall thick enough are sufficient to stop a railroad train. These are days when the seers who read the stars should be busy. Though the great Pacific rolls between our country and Asia, our nation next to Russia Is most diiectly Interested in this matter, for already 61 vtynclred thousand Japanese are on our soil -H aim tje who are near them and watch their H waysY vSist that as between them and tho Chi- H nese, I. latter are to be preferred. They hove Bfl all the C. nese vices, they have less gratitude for D favors done, they are less reliable, less faithful. jH The west coast Is clamoring loudly for an ex- H pulsion law to prohibit their coming, and fear H that before the country can be educated up to H demand it, half a million of the brown Invaders H will be upon our soil. H But there is trouble about this that never at- H tached to the Chinese question. It is said that M Japan has made several overtures of peace to H .Russia, but with everyone is coupled a demand H lor a mighty indemnity. Suppose the peace H comes and with it an indemnity sufficient to reim- H burse Japan for all she has lost except tho lives M of her soldiers, what then? How will she re- H ceive a notice that this country no longer desires j to receive her people, she who has a treaty that M she shall stand on the plane of the most favored M nations? M She will have the biggest case of swelled head M ever seen. What If her answer should be: "Our H gates were closed, we asked for no intercourse H with the outside world. You sent your warships M with a threat to batter down those gates unless H wo voluntarily opened them. We complied. That S was only fifty-four years ago. Now if you at- H tempt to close your Golden Gate against us, wo fl will do what you threatened to do then." jH That would mean real business. We do not H doubt the result, but it would be a costly war and H would tax the finances and tho valor of tho na- fl tlon as they have not been taxed for a long time. S In this connection, we believe that Japan sin- fl cerely desires peace with us, that she would soon- fl er fight any two powers of the old world than the fl United States, but her head will be immensely fl swelled and she will not be afraid. fl At the same time if her coolies drifting this jfl way are becoming a menace even as the Chinese fl wore, they will have to bo kept out, for the work- I ing men and women of this land are the land's jfl bulwark and must be piotected at all hazards. ' In the meanwhile there should be never-ceas- Ing work on our navy in building new battloshlps and in training the men to handle and fight them. .t m for in tho event of a war with any power, as we t m are situated, the most of tho work would have to 9 be done by the navy. fl |