The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1895-04-20
PEACE IN PROSPECT.

Day-Russia's Fine Italian Hand in the
Negotiations-Japan Will Grant Conces-
siOns.
WASHINGTON, April 13.-Official adj
vices received here from Japan indi-
cate that an understanding has been
reached between the Japanese and Chi.
nese Observation-Disclosures, and that the
news of the definite conclusion of a
treaty of peace may be looked for at
any moment.
Great satisfaction is expressed here
at the information hat the peace nego-
tiations have been practically con-
cluded eight days before the time fixed
for the termination of the existing
armistice.
The exact particulars of the proposed
terms of settlement could not be
learned, but it is understood that in re-
Spouse to the urgent and repeated re-
quests of the Chinese plenipotentiary
for an abatement Of the demands orig
inally made, the Japanese plenipoten-
tiaries have granted important conces-
SionS.
81 ldI do NdH NC lCdl lICO a OIAlldL
treaty has not been signed, but will
be, probably, to-day. Meanwhile
there is u possibility that Ii Hung
Chang, the Chinese representative,
may object at the last moment and an
other p~ostponement occur. This is re-
garded, however, as only a possibility
and not a probability, inasmuch as the
plenipotentiaries have devoted a fort
night to their work, and the conclu-
sions have been reached after the
most careful and deliberate considers.
ton.
1t is believed that among the conces-
sions made by the Japanese has been a
decrease in the amount of indemnity
demanded, and this is their principal
compromise. When the signature Of
Ii Hung Chang shall have been affixed
to the treaty peace will be formally
declared. The Chinese viceroy was
clothed with plenary powers when he
went to Shomonoseki, and any action
taken by him in the premises, there
fore, is detinitive.
With the prospect of the immediate
conclusion of a treaty of peace be-
tween China and Japan, the utter
ances of the st. Petersburg Novoe
Vremya, threatening opposition by
land and sea if Great Britain should
accede to Japan's demands in regard
to Manchuria and COrea, excite only
quiet laughter in well-informed cir.
Giles. The fact that the Novoe Vremya
is the semi-official organ of Russia
tends simply to discredit these utter
ances the more strongly. Such utter
ances, it is said, are often made by
this organ advisedly, the purpose be.
ing to disguise Russla's real inten-
tiOns. China is hoping that the in
tervention may yet save her humilia-
ton. If Russia should interfere,
the other powers would naturally hold
aloof. What more likely then, it
is asked, than that Russia would
throw out an i%ntiInatiOn that she will
oppose Japan, and as a result of these
lntimationS preserve the balance be-
tween all parties until Japan shall
have forced China to accept her terms?
In other words, RusSia'sS sudden change
of front is regarded as Il bluff well
understood by Japan and thoroughly
satisfactory to her.
The independence of Corea is strongly
desired by Russia, and it has been
known from the first that such a con-
clusion would be very gratifying to
the cars government. With Corea
entirely freed from the domination
of China, Russia can easily secure
a seaport on the northeastern
coast of the Hermit kingdom, as the
terminus of her great military rail-
way which is now building through
Siberia. The natural terminus of this
great road would be al Vladivostock,
which is situated in the extreme south
ern part of Siberia on the Japanese
The harbor at ~Vladiyostock,
however, is filed with ice, six, and not
infrequentiy eight months of the
1t is necessary, therefore, that the
road should have another terminus
will be open to navigation I'M
Such a place is port
100 miles south of VIadivo-
obcNh' liz "IfiSA Il dISO lOCdlCu Oh the
Japanese sea.
With Corea free to make treaties
with the outside world and to manage
her internal affairs after her own
fashion, it will be easy, it is believed,
for Russia to arrange SO that her Sibe-
rian road may be extended to Port
Lazareth. This being accomplished
Russia has but one other interest in
pending war.
Russia, it is said, would look with
strong disfaVor upon the occupation
oy Japan of the province of Manchu-
ia. A glance at the map will show
this province projects, wedge
ike, nOrthward from China in such a
way as to make a transit of southern
Siberia necessary through this prov
nee. So long rs a weak nation like
China controls Manchuria, it cannot
a to Russia's interests.
into the possession of a strong
military power like Japan, it might
very important from a military
commercial standpoint, and for
his reason Russia would not permit
is occupation by the latter country.
t is for this reason also,