Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-11-12
AMERICA AS PEACE MAKER.
Willing to Arbitrate If Invited by
China and Japan.

A TOXIC Japan, cable says: United States
Minister Dun has communicated to the
minister the substance of an important
cypher cable proposition, received from Sec
rotary Gresham at Washington. 1t sug
gests that if Japan will join China in re-
questing the President of the United States
to act as mediator in settling the war he
will exercise his good Offices in that ca
pacity. A similar proposition has been sent
to China The cable was received by Min
lister Dun on Friday, and was presented to
special meeting of the ministry. An
answer has not yet been sent.
The cable from Toxic explains the exact
terms on which the United States is pro-
posing to act as peacemaker between China
and Japan, and it clears up much mystery
which has existed as to details. Secre-
tary GreSham's message having reached
Minister Dun on Friday must have been
sent from Washington last Thursday, so
that the reports printed yesterday that
President Cleveland's proposition was ca
bled Saturday night Is proved erroneous
1t establishes also that the United States
has not offered herself as arbitrator, but
has suggested that if both China and Japan
join in requesting her services as mediator
they will be given.
1t is the belief here that China will read
lily accept the mediation of the United
States, and that Japan will do so after she
is assured of the indemnity China will
yield. China has already gone SO far as
to notify this government that IT will join
Japan in recognizing the complete indie
rendence OF Corea, which would result in
the Japanese evacuation of Corea and the
re-establishment of the former reigning
powers. China has also made known to
this government that 1t was willing to pay
cash indemnity to Japan. 1t has not
stated how much the indemnity will be,
and this promises to be a serious problem.
AS to the amount of cash, it is not likely
that Japan will accept the mediation unless
Sl0O,000,0OO is offered. This will about rep
resent what Japan has actually spent on
the war. She does not ask for exemplary or
punitive damages, as the term is used in
law, but merely the damages which will
reimburse her outlay. When France paid
Germany an indemnity for the Franco
German war it represented not only what
Germany had spent, but exemplary or
punishment damages as well. Japan does
not expect this, but she will insist on actual
damages. This is, roughly figured as fol-
lows:
Japan had a reserve fund of $4,000 900
on hand when the war began. This has
been spent. Then she negotiated a war
loan of 5O,0O0,OO0 yen "a yen being about
equivalent to our dollar). This makes $780,
100000 actually used in the war.
Besides this japanese citizens have con-
tributed large sums. The total outlay, in
GLIDING obligations incurred, is estimated
at about $l0U,OO0,000. The extra session of
the japanese diet resulted in a law au-
thoriZfng a war expenditure I'D to $50 600, =
600, but this limit has not been reached.
The recent disclosure from Toxic that
France made a proposition to the United
States four days ago adds a new feature
to the question here. 1t Is understood that
the French proposition has been rejected
The situation presents an interesting
game OF international diplomacy On the
che hand the great powers oH Europe are
threatening to forcibly come between China
and Japan, while on the other hand the
United States offers to come between them
as peacemaker. AS between the two
propositions it is not doubted that the two
contendinS powers will look to The United
States