The Japanese are too clear-headed a people, howerer, not to seo that ti abandonment by' Russia of Manchuria ab the present juncture might tend to encourage recrudescence of lawlessness and probably lead to much damage being done to Russian property. This is the difficulty, indeed, of which Russia will make the most in order to retain her hold, and
her. The Nippon" proposes that ie is Jost possible that it. may save Manchuria_be placed under the joint administration "of the Powers until China shall have proved herself ready and able to resume her responsibilities there, bat a sounder opinion—voiced by the '"Japan Times "—holds that conference at Peking should instantly take the Manchurian affair into consideration since Russia has thought fit to create such trouble in connection with it, and that China should be permitted to enter on the exercise of her sovereignty in that lost province. But as I said before, Russia may be able to find some excuse for neglecting to comply with this demand all at once and procrastination may be the thief of—Manchuria,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.