The recent demand by Russia for a rail-
Russin's present system in Manchuria and the consequent expressions of opinion by the various World Powers has brought out emphatically the position of the United States in the whole Eastern Question... Tt is, in brief, the laissez-faire policy. The administration at Washiny!on is apparently content to let almost anything happen there, provided this country can only keep out of difficulties, If.it were to take sides it would-be with England, and that would mean trouble with Russia, and the administration has no idea of getting into complications with' Russia at' this time, wren to help England, At.the same time: it is recognised by the State Department -that geant significance -attaches to this latest demand. The interest in Chinese questions in this country is growing. -Of this there is no: doubt. But its progress is slower just now then it has been at almost any "time within the year, past, Many Am ing believed that the tal of the Philippines would mean active operations by the Americans in other countries and at least a practical alliance-with England inher policy in the Far Kast. Choy were certainly justified in this velief for some time, but now THE REACTION HAS..coME, and thore is not the slightest sign' land hunger with which some writers woul)
ye us believe the Anglo-Saxon race, is afflicted. There is no doubt but that the developments in the Philippines -aécount for this reaction. The unexpected re ance of the natives to American domin: tion has been a disngrocable suspi While there is no thought of giving up the Philippines or of relaxing operations for their conquest, yet they are regarded as really not worth the expenditure of men and money that is being required, and were it possible to blot out the yea events and for the people of the United States to say to-day, in the light of. the experiences of the past year, whether they would take the Philippines' or not, there is lite doubt. but. that am overwhelming majority would be for leaving them alone. the effier hand, theca is practically:
division of opinion that present conditions there are unavoidable or that the policy of the Administration has been in arly way weak or illogical, while the Imperialist. League, which started great flourish of trumpets and pro that the whole country should be arouse on. the question, sees its influence sand following daily diminishing. With a few conspicuous exceptions its clientele now consists of a for men who are proverbially on the wrong and unpopular side of alma: every public question. Those few exceptions are the men who are keeping the movement at all alive.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.