Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1904-02-17
Will keep NEUTRAL
Decision of 0uf Government On
Japaucse.RuSSian Var
SEC'Y GAY MAKES SUGGESTIONS
.ic Reco;anends so the Powers That
Ch;na Ue Accorded the Claim OF
i'erfec; Neutrality -ThiS VIII Aid
Japan.

Japan.
}Yosh.n-tou, Special. TO Russia
and japan the Washington government
Su-scsts tie prop.iciy ot limiting hos
NhN-S within aa snuul an area Is pos
SiHic and o. respecting the ncu raiity
3r1 administrator entity or China.
t.It China may hs ltec from disturb
az 'r and iorci-u interests tE Zee FROM
II"ulcc-'
This iho Ns+a.i"'od Press is enabled
a. ciNN .# th" -uH sfJN." Ot the note
addressed by Scr. ;@.y Hay ou Fob. ~
20 t"e ST pc,r-s .ur2 and Toxic soy-
rvnm"uis. On i'ch in note tie Ger
~ NY. Great britain and France NJ.
Hay invite! .hesc powers cgncmrcntly
10 address Russia and Japan with the
same sug ,csiinu. ana on Feb. II this
invitation was extended to- Italy. Aus
tria-iiUngary. the Netherlands. Den
Li"rh. Spain ana belgium
Germany was thc first to respond
wi,h a prompt acceptance o. the in
vit3tion and the promise that she I'm
mtdidtclv would address the two
cOmhat2nts.
Great britain was heard from next.
EXPRESSING adherence 20 the principle
laid down in the note. but withholding
formal acceptance pending an answer
tive entity" ot China involved Man
charia. Japan was heard from quick
y With the answer that she would act
readily on tn" suggestions of the nit
ed states ii = similar promise could he
Chtainci from Russia. italy. Hungary
ami the Netherlands expressed sympc-
th- Vita the idea ANA promised an ali
SwCr after consultation with Othey
powers. There is reason to believe
thAt Spain ana Belgium will also ac-
cept that Invitation. Russia thus far
has been silent and the attitude 90
France is one of hesitation. This is tnc
si,ua:ion tonight: Meantime it is
! I,n"i hat Germany is addressing the
ccmNatants With n note IN substance
tb" same ~ thar 0c Secretary Hay
REGARDING the attitude of Great Britain
j. - = matter OF regret 90 the officials
here th3y. rs the principle is one iO;
which the Il itish nave stood in tho
past 40 staiWartly. H. should hOli up
formal acceptance NJ the invitation uu-
il it has learned further details on
he highest authority il can be stated
ha; there arc no details to tho note.
2s il woGld be manifcstly impossible
80 hope fo' concurrent action bN so
tlauy powers upon any Bat the most
neral lines. That the officials of The
N,s hiMGtnn government could have
had 81 wiud the neutrality ~ Man
churia Is declared on The face Os ii 10 br
absurd. Manchugia is recognized by
this government With Korea TO he the
natural theatre of the war. and Tor
tLet reason. primarily. the suggestion
was N" i, thai hOStilitics he restricted.
Washington. Special. President
KOoscyci, Thursday issued n procla-
80 4. IL 81.
gpvcrnmcn; IN the RusSo-Japanese
war Tho document after setting
forth the existence OF ia state Of war
and tina: the laws of the United States
without int"rf ring With IN" free cX-
preston ut opinion 8pi sympathy. or
with the Upon manufacture o. sale Of
arms or munitions OF war. ncVcrthc
less imposes upon all persons who
may he within their territory and iur
isdictiOn the duty OF an impartial nCu-
trality during the existence OF the con
test. proclaimS the provisions OF the
United States neutrality law. which
law forbids the acceptance OF a com
mission la serve either bclliEerrnt or
enlisting or hiring or retaining anoth-
cr person in the service OF either; fit
ting out and aTming. or commission
ing vessels OF war increasing the
force or armament OF any vessel OF
either of the hcliigerentS arriving in
United States ports. and setting on
foot any military expedition against
either belligercnt
The proclamation further declares
the use OF United States waters 10
prepare for hostile operations a viola
ton of neutrality: that after Feb Is
there shall he ii lapse only OF q hours
between the arrival and departure of
WarShips OF The tWu bclliPc-cntS from
United States ports. and that no war
ships shall remain In any port over "a
hours. except for necessary repair
Such shipY shall not be permitted
to take In any supplies except provi&-
ions and so much coal as may be suf
bcient TO carry the vessel tn the near
est home port.
The proclamation further declare;
the principles a. 10 The rights OF neu-
trails at sea contained IN the treaty be-
. tween the United states and Russia
of 1854 as permanent and imnit;tabic
as follows
THAT free ships make tree goods
that is to say that the effects OF goods
belonging to subjects of citizens Of a
/, power or state at war arc free from
capture and conflscation when found
on board of neutral vessels. with the
exception OF articles OF cCntrabaud of
war: that the property OF neutrals on
board an enemys vessel is not subject
10 conflscation, unless the same he
cunrraband Of war"
The proclamation declares that no
person within the United States shall
!; take part In the war. and warns all
citizens that while the free and full
expressions OF sympathies. in public
and private, is not restricted by the