The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-02-08
JAPAN DEFENDS ACTION.

PARIS, Feb. THE japanese min
! lister to France, M. Motono, made pub
| lie this afternoon an announcement of
the breaking off of diplomatic relations
EebetWeen Japan and Russia, saying that
| this action was due to Russia's delay
| in making response to Japan.
The Japanese government communi-
| Gated statement to M. Motono an
! nouncing the severance of diplomatic
relations with Russia and giving de-
| tails of the reasons therefor. The state
ment follows:
Toxic, Feb. 6. = The last japanese
note in response to the Russian note
! of Jan. had been RENTED to the
Russian minister at Toxic on the 18th
of January. The japanese government
! had insisted that prompt response be
made to it, owing to the gravity Of the
situation. Not receiving the answer
requested, M. Kurino, the Japanese
minister at st. Petersburg, has made
| to Count Lamsdorff on several occa-
sions recently representations in order
! to secure an answer from Russia. Not
| having obtained this answer, he asked
| him to indicate the earliest date for
the reply. Count Lamsdorff, while
| promising to make q response as early
as possible, has not been able to indi-
cate when the response could be trans
mitted to the Japanese government.
| The Japanese government having
vainly waited on it's part the Russian
answer for more than three weeks, and
having been, moreover, Informed that
Russia was making active preparations
for war, and was concentrating her
troops and her naval forces toward
| Korea, it is under the necessity of
breaking its negotiations with Russia
and resuming its liberty of action.
There is reason to believe that the
French authorities will give considera-
| ton to the idea of mediation, but 1t is
said that such action would be diff
| cult in view of the recent declaration
of Japan that she would not accept in
PREVENTION Of any kind as the question
was one to be regulated between her
| self and Russia. Nevertheless, It is
expected that France will approach
| Great Britain with the view of that
power making representations to ia
pan, while she, at the same time, will
| make representations to Russia in or
der to prevent an outbreak of HOSTILE
| ties. 1t is admitted, however, that a
| long step has already been taken to-
ward war by Japan's having broken
| off relations.
M. Motono's Declaration.
M. Motono gave Japan's official
statement as the best explanation Of
| the situation, but in addition he made
| the following declaration:
THE government statement clearly
| shows that relations are at an end.
| Whether or not this means war, I am
unable to say, but 1t is obvious that
| the step already taken Is of the grav-
! est nature and one which will be fol-
| lowed by war. When that result may
come no one can say at this time but
the reasons for the action of my gov
eminent should be distinctively under
| stood
ct is not true that Baron Komura.
the japanese foreign minister, receiv-
! ed yesterday any note from Baron de
| Rosen, and, therefore, the action of
Japan in breaking off relations was
| not result of the Russian reply. No
| response has been RENTED by Russia,
| to my government. The dispatches
stating Russia sent her reply are de-
| ceptive, as we have not received II.
and 1t is because we have not received
| this reply that we are determined to
act with vigor.
This is the situation Russia alone
| is responsible. She received our last
| note on Jan. Is. Twenty five DAVIS
| passed. Several times M. Kurino re-
quested reply and reply was prom
| 1Sed, but it never came. At the begin
| ming of last week M. Kurino declared
| positively that he must have a reply.
| out sui there was nothing At the
same time Russia continues to make
/ concern
trate troops in the vicinity of the YaI11
river. Can you not conceive the in
quietude and the irritation at Toxic.
After three weeks Of patience we
| thought that was sufficient and orr
| dignity would not permit us to wait
| Indefinitely"
Russia BIames Japan.
A Russian diplomatic authority here
says that while the Russian reply left
st. Petersburg Thursday it did not
reach Toxic yesterday. The Japanese
wished for rupture, and the order
| given to M Kurino to break off dinIo-
| matte relations conceded with the de-
| parture of the Russian note. q depart
ure which has been predicted and an.
nounced O s''i'
rs not that Significant" the an
thor1ty In question asked. Yesterday
| at o'clock M. Kurtno made known t1
| Count Lamsdorff the Instructions he
/ had received, but it is evident that
these instructions reached him on the
9TH. At the same time that M. Ku-
rino notified Count Lamsdorff. Baron
| Komura announced the news to Raron
I de Rosen and requested him to depart
1t rs not because the Russian note did
not arrive yesterday that reIati
have been broken off. #, in reality.