Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 37, Number 11, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 February 1905 — WAR IN THE ORIENT. [ARTICLE]

WAR IN THE ORIENT.

POSSIBILITY THAT THE STRUQ GLE IS NEARING AN END. Torn by Industrial and Political Coli▼nlsions, Russia Muy Make Peace with Japan—Czar’s Government Between Proverbial Devil and Deep Sea. Some of the Chicago papers prophesy that the war between Russia and Japan is nearing an end. The St. .Petersburg papers have been allowed to print a brief Paris dispatch to the effect that Gen. ' Kouropatkin bad Opened negotiations with Field Marshal Oyaina. This conies on the heels of the rumors which have been current in the circles of high finance that peace was impending. If it was the intention of Russia to place a new loan in France, the project has been temporarily abandoned. That may be either been usd of a 'determination to end the war speedily,* or because of the troubles within the empire, which make it an inopportune, time to borrow.

After Port Arthur fell the Czar, in an address to his soldiers and sailors, gave them to understand plainly that the war was to go on until both army and navy had won victories. Since then many things have happened. Russia has been torn by industrial and political convulsions. A strike wave is spreading over the empire. There is a bold and insistent demand for some measure of liberty and for a national assembly. The evidences of the unpopularity of the war are visible on every side. The educated classes beg that it cease. The reservists on their way to Manchuria escape from their guards win never possible. It has become a serious question how far Gen. Kouropatkin can be reenforced without denuding the western part of the empire of regular troops that may be needed to cope with possible domestic, crises. Tens of thousands of reservists can be sent him. but they cannot be depended on. There are abundant reasons why the war party should change front and seek for a peace which it lias been asserting was impossible unless It m ant the submission of Japan. The statement of the Russian member of the North Sea commission made a month ago that Russia would soon make a temporary peace, during which she would build a navy and get ready for a new war may be verified. If it were not for the rumors of peace the fighting in Manchuriai last week would claim more attention. Gen. Kouropatkin pushed forward a corps on his right flank and Gen. Oyama, who lias been re-enforced by Gen. Nogi, took the offensive. There was sharp fighting, for over a thousand Russian wounded were sent to Mukden. The Japanese claim a victory and the Russians say they were successful. The sudden aetiviy after weeks of comparative repose may be the prelude of a spring campaign—if there is to lie one. The main fighting lias been at tli * west end of the armies—that is, on the Russian right and the Japanese left — though skirmishes are reported on the extreme east, and we are also specifically told that the artillery tiring lias been heaviest iii the center.

If it were not for the temperature, which is below zero, it would l>e easy to believe that, the decisive battle was now beginning, but how a battle, which must necessarily be of many days’ duration, can be fought when the fighters are freezing their hands and feet, and when the wounded will almost certainly die of exposure lefore they can be succored, it is bard to Nevertheless, if the weather moderates the engagement may be on. If Kouropatkin is taking the offensive his decision may he due e ther to his conviction that he is in better position to fight tlie Japanese now than he can hope to he at any time later during the year. Or it may be due to pressure from St. Petersburg insis'.ing that he ercate a diversion and give the Russians at home something to grow excited over besides thoughts of revolution. It may even lie that Kouropatkin feels that it is essential that he get his army actively engaged before it hears the news of the bloody 22d of January, lest that news, perhaps in exaggerated form, may excite it almost to point of revolt. Japan, it is reported from Toklo, has begun to lay down a battleship of 10,000 tons. The tonnage is probably wrongly given, for the largest battleships now afloat or building do not reach 17,000 tons, it is also stated that a fifth army, to be under the command of lieutenant General Kuwanmra, is being organized. The purpose of the army is not mentioned, but one naturally . thinks of Vladivostok. Whether a serious siege of that fortress is contemplated or not, a feint against it on a large scale is not improbable, with a view to bringing new confusion into fcouropatkin’s plans. Nothing is known of the whereabouts of the Russian fleet. It is hidden somewhere in the Indian ocean awaiting re-enforcements which may uevor be scut.