San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-09-29
HE AGREED TO ACCEPT RUSSIA
AND JAPAN AS PARTIES TO
THE CONFERENCE,
Canada Equalei Against The Ar
rangement And Salisbury Tries
To Throw The Blame On U. S.
Foster And Sherman Have
JOnn Bottled Up.

New York, Sept. ga dispatch to
the Tribune from London, says:
The English press in discussing the
hitch which has arisen in the negotia-
lions for the sealing conference, as
sumes that the idea of inviting Rus
STA and Japan was an afterthought
on the part of the Washington govern
ment. The State department is
charged with attempting to enlarge the
inquiry by drawing Russia and Japan
into it, when Lord Salisbury had spe-
cifically agreed to a conference re-
stricted to an exchange of views
among the American, British and Can
adam experts.
These assumptions are entirely with
out foundation. When Mr.. Foster re-
turned from st. Petersburg last sum-
mer Russia had agreed to confer
ence. Before Lord Salisbury wrote
his dispatch on July 2S there had been
several conferences at the foreign Of
fees and the desire of the State de-
partment that both Russia and Japan
should beincluded was plainly indicat-
ed. The Russian ambassador in Lon
don had an interview with Lord Sal
isbury on the subject at the foreign
Office, Mr.. Foster had a conference with
Mr.. Chamberlain and Sir Wilfred
Laurier in which the scope Of the pro-
posed meeting was fully discussed.
The Japanese minister also interested
himself in the question. For a month
preceding July 2S no secret was made
of the fact that the United States gov
eminent had invited Russia and Jap
an to take part in the conference and
was anxious to have Great Britain
and Canada cooperate in the move
ment. The assumption of certain
English journals that the proposal to
include Russia and Japan was an af-
terthought, for the sake of entrapping
Great Britain and Canada into a con-
ference in which they would be out
voted is as baseless as the fantastic
idea that American diplomacy devised
a fresh expedient for giving the lions
tail another twist.
The truth is that the masters of the
foreign office understand perfectly the
broad scope of the conference to which
England had been invited along with
Russia and Japan, but accepted the
proposal in a guarded way so he could
object to the presence of representa-
tives of those two powers If he chose
to do so.
Ambassador Hay was, however,
equal to the emergency, for in a per-
fectly courteous letter of acknowledge
ment, dated July 20, he reminded Lord
Salisbury that, as had been intimated
all along, the Russian and Japanese
representation would attend the con-
ference. When Lord Salisbury decid-
ed in September to object to the pres
ence of those representatives, 1t was
because pressure had been brought to
bear upon him from Canada, and not
because there had been any after
though or Yankee trick at Washing
ton as ill-informed critics here hastily
assume. Lord Salisbury left the bridge
open for his retreat, but it is no. a
foregone conclusion that he viii cross
it and break up the conference. On
the contrary 1t is probable that an in
ternational meeting will be arranged.
1t is understood in diplomatic circles
that the latest communication from
Secretary Sherman on the subject have
been felicitiously phrased and have
produced an excellent effect at the for
eign office. What was needed was
tact and it has not been lacking. Eng
land and Canada will probably be left
at liberty to send delegates to the con-
ference, with the understanding that
they cannot be outvoted or committed
to any definite policy and that they
can retire from it whenever they
choose to do so. The conference viii
be purely consultative. 1t will supply
scientific information which will be
useful in determining the general ques-
ton of the best measures requisite for
the protection of the last fur seal herd
on the face Of the waters. 1t will
have no binding force upon any nation
represented in the deliberations,
The attitude of the American gov
eminent is so reasonable that It Is
probable that the conference will be
held on the original lines after the for
eign office has provided adequate evil