panded her empire by physical force and has taken no steps toward enlightening and elevating her conquered peoples she is now, as has been said, only an aggregation of tribes, each largely ignorant of and indifferent to the interest of the others and caring nothing for the welfare or the life of the nation. Government offices are sometimes in the hands of foreigners, especially the Germans. The natives feel that their labor is exploited by these foreigners and other local officials, -combined police spies and official clerks, hence these become objects of intense hatred; especially as they believe that the beneficent reforms proposed by successive Czars have been thwarted by these interlopers; and to some extent they are right. Hitherto the peasants have had faith in the Czar-their "Little Father,”—and have thought, if the reforms proposed by Peter and his successors had been carried out their country would have been perfect. But, when two months ago the petition for representative government went up from the towns and the Czar wrote on the back of it,-"I consider this petition most impertinent," they felt, for the first time that he was responsible for their condition; and the hatred directed, heretofore, against government officials was now centred on "the Little Father" himself; one of the results being the massacre at St. Petersburg. Our American poet Aldrich voices in the following lines the possibilities that may result from this revulsion of feeling: "From yonder gilded minaret "Above the ravelins and the moats God save the Czar! "In his red palace over there, Wakeful, he needs must hear the prayer. Wrung from his children's agonies?— ""Father,' they called him from of old- Rise in their awful might; and then But there are hopeful indications in the Russian situation. Nicholas II, although a weak monarch, is well-intentioned and is slowly putting into effect some practical means for bettering conditions. A great campaign of education fostered by the liberals in the intelligent classes has begun. In 1885 one in forty-eight was entirely without education. In 1897 the percentage had risen to one in thirty. Illiterates are now required to serve a longer term in the army, than men who can read and write; which acts as a strong incentive toward learning. Education is becoming an object among the peasants. They set aside money from their vodka (beer and whiskey) allowance to pay for schooling and are most anxious to learn. Russia is projecting vast railway schemes. The Siberian railway has demonstrated the value of trunk lines, and their construction means not only the distribution of commodities but the diffusion of ideas. The Orthodox church with its 140,000,000 adherents, feels new impulses of life and seeks to be set free from state control. This means the disestablishment of Orthodoxy, and freedom of thought. In conclusion, three things point to better times in Russia. Compulsory, popular education, the liberation of the church. from the state and the development of manufacturing and commercial interests, which tend away from isolation and toward organic unity. Nations, like persons, have periods of growth, relapse and regeneration. Conditions in Russia have been so bad we must expect them to become better if the nation is to survive. The people demand a part in the government. The strictly censored Russian press has broken from control and is printing comments like this on the war: "The Japs are not fighting the Russian people, but the Russian bureaucrats and sycophants. It is not the people but the government that suffers defeat." "This war has taught us the lesson that intelligence, skill and freedom are ever victorious over ignorance, misrule and despotism." Now that the Russian people begin to speak this knowledge of affairs, we cannot doubt of changed conditions in the near future. CHARLES H. PENNYPACKER: Why was Russia allowed to hold Manchuria and build the Siberian railway over it? DR. YOUNG: It was the survival of the fittest. Nations that develop resources, live, those who do not, die. Under this law China was relegated to the position of a ward. Europe would not use physical force to hold Manchuria. Japan, the one vitally interested power, fought for Russian evacuation, and for independence of Manchuria that her own should be secured. The session closed with a hymn, led by the choir. SEVENTH DAY.-AFTERNOON SESSION. The house was crowded at the appointed hour-2 o'clock. The meeting opened with music. The reading of "testimonies," presented by the Presiding Clerk from the Business Committee, followed in order. The first of these, prepared by Henry S. Kent, on WAR, and advocating the principles of non-resistance, called out reservations on the part of FREDERIC A. HINCKLEY. He was, he said, compelled to announce his sentiment as in favor of defensive war. There were conflicts betwen nations, where self-preservation was at stake as in the present war between Russia and Japan, and he would regret to have a declaration go out from Longwood that seemed to denounce an uprising so heroic and pa triotic. C. H. PENNYPACKER and WHITTIER FULTON were of like mind. Dr. Agnes KemP, MARY P. BROWN, JACOB W. HARVEY and JOHN I. CARTER, presented arguments of Friends in favor of peace and non-resistance. The testimony was referred back to the Business Committee. After revision and farther discussion the following form was adopted: ON WAR. The Yearly Meeting of Progressive Friends again deprecates war and renews its declaration in favor of the principles of Peace. Concession and arbitration are the watch words of progress. Chili and Argentina are good examples of this new century's idea of the better way. GOOD GOVERNMENT. We believe that the time has come, in this Commonwealth when a party, of the people and for the people, should be formed. Conditions require a general uprising in behalf of Good Government. WOMAN SUFFRAGE. Equal suffrage for women is a claim long since admitted to be just, yet is practically recognized in only four of our United States. The new gospel of advancement, in the name of fair dealing and honesty demands, that the ballot be placed in the hand of woman on equal terms with man as a weapon assertive of independence and of defence against prejudice and oppression. The following expression of sentiment was also adopted: Resolved, That the Progressive Friends of Pennsylvania in Yearly Meeting assembled, tender their sympathy and support to President Roosevelt in his efforts to sustain the cause of the people against the corporations and trusts; and as there are but two classes who ride on free passes,—those who own the roads and those whom the roads own,-we rejoice that our President is outside this number. PHILIP JAISOHN, a native of Japan, delivered the address of the afternoon. Mr. Jaisohn is now a resident of Philadel phia and a student of medicine there. We regret being unable to give more than a bare outline of his address, entitled: THE FAR EASTERN WAR FROM A JAPANESE POINT OF VIEW. Japan, he said, did not seek this war. She was forced to it if she would maintain her rights. Russia wished to take possession of Manchuria and the peninsula of Korea and merge it all into her own map. This Japan could not afford. Her commercial relations would be interfered with, and it must end with her being swept from the face of the earth, as a nation. Japan is fighting in self-defense. War is a horrible thing, but as a man must sometimes fight for self-preservation so must a nation. China had agreed, after Japan's war with that country a few years ago, to recognize the independence of Korea. Then Russia formed an alliance with Germany and France, warned Japan that she would not be allowed to occupy territory on the mainland and ordered her to return. Manchuria, which had been placed under Japan's protection after the Chinese war,-to China. Japan could not fight three European nations so she accepted an indemnity of $80,000,ooo, loaned by Russia to China for that purpose, and returned the captured territory to China on condition that she should keep it herself. Then Russia said to China, "We loaned you money and got back your territory for you, let us build a railroad through Manchuria and have control of Port Arthur as a port, for twenty-five years, at a small stated sum per year." At the end of this time it will be returned to China, provided you pay for all improvements according to Russian estimates at that time. This meant permanent occupation of Port Arthur. This was cause, not only of mortification but of menace to Japan and she did not forgive Russia the trick. Russia made Port Arthur impregnable, as she believed, built a railroad and obtained control of territory three miles each side of the track and established a military and naval base. Then she wanted Korea and resorted to bribery and trickery to obtain it. Japan could not stand the usurpation of Korea |