The construction of these Jines has led many to hold the opinion that the result must be competition and friction between the Russians and the Japanese,. To this may be aulded another factor, namely potential friction between the Chinese and the Japanese owing to the cor struction by the former of sever rays, and the planning of st others, some of which, if completed, would' parallel and compete with] the S.ALR. line. Such lines would! be in direct violation of the agreement between Japan and China, entered into in 1905, whereby China undertook not to construct any lines] in Manchuria paralleling or competing with the SMR. lines, Among, these lines ix one running from Takushan, a point west Mukden on the Mukden-Tientsin line, towards Payantala, the terminus a railway built by the Japanese for the Chinese, which runs almost due west towards Mongolia and connects with the SAIR. main line. This Vine is now under construction by the Chinese, who have completed a great part thereof. The Japanese have objected thereto through diplomatic channels, owing largely to the fact that its completion would! source of raw materials for her|Chinere to factories, and concurrently, develop a gre Population which will be] purchasers the goods which Japan manufactures from such materials.
So the Japanese are interested in cing railways increase in Manchuria and not only be! willing to see the Chinese build rail ways, but will assist them to do if such assistance is wanted, provid-fed only that the Chinese abandon their present attitude of handedly dist garding and over-riding the Japanese terest which exist by virtue of Jong-standing legal agreements and treaties, "The increase of freight carried by the S.M.R. lines has in recent years amounted about 1,200,000 tons annually, tetuoka in discus some decrease in this ratio in future, is entirely reasonable to estimate that such increase wi amount to ten years. crease of goods to be carried will call for every possible effort on the part of the railways.
There will be more than enough traffic for all fof them. It is more likely tha they will have to call upon one ano. ther for help than that any com Petition will occur.
There is no] reason for the Russians to fear th presence of the Tsitsihar-Taonan Railway and the questions between the Chinese and the Japanese are important mainly os matter principle.
Exiles From Shantung, "For a number of years past the number of Chinese immigrating into Manchuria from Shantung an to drive the) Japanese out of Manchuria altogether and create a situation may have to call to the fact that, after all, 3 historically enti ly distinct and separate from China Proper and that it may be necessary) to deal with Manchuria og such."
In this connection, Mr. Matsuoka was asked what he thought of the reported Chinese proposal to develop the port of Hulutao, a point of the
some years past been regarded as a Mukden-Tientsi which has for possible great port which might]
srve as an outlet for goods originating in Manchuria and brought} there by the Chinese lines, existing} and to be constructed. Mr. Matsuoka did not, however, regard it as possible thay Hulutao may be developed to the point where it would be a serious rival of Dairen. increase of production in Manchuria would furnish traffic enough for all concerned. It would, he stated, take ten years to construct an adequate port there, and by the lapse of that ime the two or three million tons which would be the {maximum that Hulutao would be able to handle, would be but a comparatively small factor as compared with the general increase of produce which must accrue during these ten years.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.