The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1905-08-17
entered at Postoffice Hillsboro, Ohio
as second class matter.
Peace Making at Portsmouth, N. H.

Peace Making at Portsmouth, N. H.
Much interest is excited the world
over by the Peace Conference now In
session at Portsmouth, N. q. A few
leading facts briefly stated about this
conference may be helpful to our
readers.
At Portsmouth, N. H., there Is a
United States navy yard. In it apart
ments have been fitted up in which
the representatives of Japan and Rus
sia are holding their meetings and
are attempting to negotiate a treaty
that will change the destinies of
great world powers. These ENJOYS
are here as the guests of the United
States. A very natural question
arises. Who pays the expenses The
entertainments and expenses of the
guests of the nation are paid for out of
fund of $1,000, which Congress an.
nually places at the disposal of the
state department for contingencies.
a. a. d. Pierce, third assistant,
secretary of state, 10 representing
"Uncle Sam" as host. Two naval yes-
sells, the Mayhower andIDolphin, are
at the disposal of the guests. This
part of the expense comes out of the
naval contingent fund.
The principal characters in this
great international play are very in
teresting personalities. Baron Jutaro
Komira, who Is leader on the Japan.
ese side, was eduacted in this coun-
try, being the first Japanese to re-
ceive a degree from Harvard He
has been Japanese minister at Wash.
ington and st. Petersburg. He was
also ambassador to China after the
war closed between China and Japan.
In September, 1901, he was made Jap
anese minister of foreign affairs,
which position he still holds. Mr..
Kogoro Takahira, who is associated
with Baron Komura, succeeded him
as minister to the United States and
still retains that position. He was
educated In the Imperial College,
Toxic, and served in an obscure posi-
tisn three years before he came to
Washington as attache. He was pro-
noted to the position of secretary
and sent to Seoul, then to Shanghai,
and then New York, as consul-gener-
al minister to the Hague, Italy, Aus
tria, was vice-minister of foreign af-
fairs, and now minister at Washing
ton. Both he and Baron Komura
speak English tluently, and are skill
ed diplomats. Count Sergius De Witte,
who is Russia's leading representa-.
tive, is the most interesting char
acters that has ever visited these
shores. He is not of the nobility of
Russia by birth, neither is he a man
of liberal education, but he is to-day
the one to whom Russia turns In the
hour of peril. His father was Dutch
farmer, who immigrated to Russia.
The son has come up from the plain
people to his present position. He
has served his country in many in
portant positions, particularly in con-
nection with the railroads of the en-
pire. In 1898 Secretary of State. In
1885 president of the Committee Of
Ministers. Count Witte was appoint.
ed as peace envoy to succeed NJ. Muir.
aviefi, who was not believed to be 80
to peace as his successor.
NJ. DeWitte 10 known to have opposed |
the war from the first, and 1t is be-
heved that he would not have accept. |
ed his ONCE unless the Russian gov.
ernment had given him complete
powers. To it is argued that his pres
ence at Portsmouth encourages the
hope of peaceful ending of the ne.
gotiations.
Associated with Count DeWitte is
Baron Roman Romanovitch Rosen,
Russian minister at Toxic, at the out.
break of the war and recently arrived
In Washington as ambassador to the
United States. French will be the Of
acial language of the conference, and
II a treaty is concluded 1t will be
drafted at first in that language, and
two copies will be made, each having
parallel Japanese and Russian read
ings. The treaty will begin I'm the
name of Almighty God" If 1t we're
a treaty between two Christian ma
tioas, the opening words would be I'm
the name of the most Holy and Indi.
visible Trinity"