The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1904-01-08
REJECTS
JApAN'S PROPOSAL
The lrredueible Minimum of
Japan's Claims Cannot
Be Granted.
IT'S UP TO BRITAIN NOW
Growing Disposition in Britain to Take
This View Alarms Europe Even
More Than Does the Atti-
tude of Japan.

New York, Dec. 25.-The Journal
special cable from Yokohama, Japan,
says: , .
The terms of the Russian reply to
Japan's latest demands a not been
divulged, but it is understood Russia
has rejected the fundamental points at
issue, including a mutual guarantee OF
the preservation of Chinese and Korean
sovereignty, while securing for Russia
and Japan their individual interests.
The situations is considered more grave
than any period slice the negotiation
began.
Japanese Are 'Pessimistic.
The Sun special cable from London
says:
Reporters making inquiries at the
Japanese legation, where hitherto a
feeling of optimism has been displayed,
found officials pessimistic. They ad-
mitted the situation is more serious
now than at any previous line
When asked if there was hope of
peace, the secretary of the legation re-
piled that he feared very little. He is
quoted as having added it was impos-
sible to disguise the fact that the
slightest untoward incident at the
present moment might p~recipitate war.
Japan was determined not to forego
her claims and had sent a reply to Rus
GIG "1o llS1 lohoS WIN. . wv"
Russia must decide the outcome. The
Japanese legation has receiced so many
offers Of men DESTROYS of serving in
the Japanese army that it is unable
to reply to them individually, and asks
the press to announce there is no i'm
mediate occasion for such services;
that even in the event of wal the
Japanese law does not admit foreign
ers to the army.
T THE Har916'S SDpciol cable from Lon.
don says:
Japanese warships, according to a
Tien Tsin dispatch to the Daily Mail,
are concentrating in the vicinity Of
Port Arthur. The same paper is au-
thority for statements indicating prep
arations on the part of the mikado's
government for transportation Of IAN
ex~peditionary 1,force. .s Twenty-Five
steamers belonging to Butterfield and
Swire, which trade: along the Pina
coast, have been taken over by Japan,
and there are reports from Shanghai
and Kobe of chartering other steamers
and transports for conveying supplies.
Europe Has Small Hope.
In London great anxiety pervades, as
well as all over Europe, on ccoun Of
the situationtin the far east. 1t might
ing belief of. Great Britain, France and
Germany is hat war is unavoidable;
but it may be said t~ruthfully that most
persons whose opinions have weight
believe the situation SO bad that the
natural outcome is war.
About the most optimistic view held
is that there is still ground for hope
that the two countries may reach a
peaceful settlement,
According to the prevailing view in
Europe, Russia is not likely to be con-
tent with Japan's inreducible minimum,
nor to give up her program in Man
churia OF Korea.
One section of the London press is
strongly urging Japan to strike now,
assuming the war is inevitable; these
papers say Japan will rue it if she
falls in with Russia's waiting game. If
the two countries resort to war the
.~sympathies and prayers Of Great Brit
ain will be for Japan. What more the
British would do, nobody undertakes to
say.