With regard to the trouble over railway building, Japan does not. think the matter a very. vexing affair. The view held by Japan that there is plenty of freight for Japan, Russia and China and thet there is no need therefore for any cut-throat competition or for poaching on another's preserves. This view of the question recently was set forth by Mr. A. Matsuoka, vieepresident of the South Manchuria Railway Company, who declared, that Manchuria is progressing at a rate and its production increasing so fast that there will be plenty of freight for all the railways operating in that region, fas well as for the railways recently Inid down and for the projected Hines, for a period of at least ten years to come. He maintained that the lands tapped by the various yes eagerly are being taken up by the tens of thousands of Chinese who have had to forsake their old homes, that these lands are being rapidly settled, and that this must cense a tremendous increase in the produce and productive activities of the agricultural development manchuria, through the unprece" ented migration of Chinese, will be very great, while this preponderating amount of cheap labour also will make it possible to develop, the latent resources of coal, ire and other mineral wealth that Mai choria ly known to contain. Jo. pan, in fact, is of the opinion that there is room for the building of another 5,000. miles of railway in Manchuria' within the next ten yours, and that, if this is not don the existing railway systems, instead of quarrelling one with another, more likely would have to call on. one another for help to transport the increased produce.
Manchuria's value for Japan as a colonizing place, in the sense of planting big communities of Jax panese there, has been abandoned. The best proof of this is tha when the Government recently ep" pointed a commission to devise: measures for the relief of the congestion of population here, this commission submitted various sug-fo, and even the Philippines, the South Sea Islands. (principally the Dutch East Indies), Franch Tdo-China_and Brazil. Manchuria chously was left out. This ornis Bion peaks volumes. It is. proof! incontestable that the Japanese do not Took upon Manchuria as a place where they could go to and live Well, of alone thrive. They simply cannot under-live the Chinese.
Manchuria is Not China Japan, however, is not disposed to yield one iota from the position she has taken up that Manchuri is not China, The very fact tha Japan spent her blood and treasure to prevent this region, which China nce sold to Rus Decoming Slay territory justifiably would feause Japan to scorn any.such [suggestion—something of which it is well for the _arm-chair pseudo-politicians of Nanking and Canton to take due notice. Japan maintains that, historically and fethnologically, Manchuria is not China, that Manchuria is entirely different and separate, and that, in liber dealings, she will Keep this fact in the foreground and insist on its recogni How, then, are the SinoSapanese differences 19 be ironed out? Japan has made a sporting offer This country practically China an economic partner-in the development of Mat and everything seems to to the wisdom of China accepting, the Japanese The Chinese, however, according reports received in Japan, are het tant and are inclined to the belief that Japan has some hidden card up her sleeve. That their attitude is on lof "ime Danaos et dona ferences"
to be inferred from the reply alleged to have been made to Mr.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.