The above is only speculation upon a prevalent bit of gossip, and while gossip is under _discnssian, it will he just as diverting to turn te another ramour which is equally prevalent in the metropolis. It is secogn'zed here as elsewhere that Japan's attempt to manipulate East Sibe ian politics hes been a distal re. The Jananese military party feared a rejuvenated Rrssia and did its best to build un in the Far East a buffer state which it could control and whose territories it cold uss as a bose for military operations in the event of a conflict with whatever force is going to emerge from confusion in Siberin this effort Japan has failed in her first attempt and she undovhtedly realizes that she cannot sieceed except. through an exnensive military occupation which would not be paular in the home land. The possibility of a conflict with Russia still remains, however, and the need for a military base on the mainland, a Japanese controlled buffer state, is as great as ever. China as a whole is ton hostile to he useful and could not be brought under Japan's hegemony without operations which would attract the attention of the whole world. Japan has therefore entered into nerotiations with Chang Tso-lin, sov the rank and file in Peking. to make of Menchuria an independent state. possibly through a mon-rphical movement. or possibly throuch a breach of political re!n-lations between Chane and his.mititary collesenes in China urarer. which would result in his declsratien of independence This is a wild story hvt, it is religiously believed by many, Tan Chinese Maritime Customs seized Tis, 17,000 worth of morphia on Saturday on_ boar? the Daishin Maru at Tientsin, Several Chiness passengers who attempter to smuggle the morphia were detained. The coeds havin been confiscated, however, the Chinese were released.
Monoporrzation of the sale of suzer by the Japanese Government_is being given serious consideration, according to the "Fama-ta" In view of the continued hich price of sugar and the fact that sneer companies have declayed dividends of 100 and 150 per cent, the proposition is said to be meeting with general favour.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.