The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-08-30
The Portsmouth Peace.

All the world loves a winher, and if
M. Witte has really won a victory for
his country there are no people more
ready than the Americans to give him
full credit for his achievement. Yet
we cannot avoid note Of regret that
M. Witte should have so far lost his
diplomatic poise as to boast. ct was
SO much out Of character that his: atti-
tude Of exultation took the world more
by surprise than the dramatic events
which called it out. It may be said
that M. Witte was more surprised than
anybody else at the turn Of events, and
that therefore he is not entitled to the
credit of having calmly and inscrutably
brought them about. Some are COM
PEELED to say that M. Witte is not great
in victory, or that he did not win a vic
tory, and therefore is not entitled to
the laurel. It is too bad to be obliged
toreach either conclusion, for the Amer
lean people Want to, and do, admire M.
Witte
Did the Russian envoy win a SUBJ
stantial victory over the antagonists?
Undoubtedly he saved his master bag
of money by standing firmly against an
indemnity, and perhaps he may have
vi,ndicated also the dignity Of his coun-
try people by his attitude. To admit
the propriety Of an indemnity, M.
Witte was required to admit that his
country was conquered. This was not
true. A country is conquered only when
its powers Of resistance are exhausted,
when it has lost its army, its navy and
when its territory has been overrun
that effective resistance is impossible.
This was the case Of France in 1871.
She had lost her capital, her strategic
frontier was in the hands Of the enemy,
her army, while still numerous, was alb
solutely unable to drive the Germans
away from Paris. Under the circum-
stances she had to make peace on the
enemy's terms, and those terms in
cluded an indemnity. Russia's situa-
tion was materially different. She had
lost no territory which was rightfully
hers, her navy had been destroyed, but
her harbors and towns were so far from
Japan, that they were almost as safe
from bombardment as tho they had
been grouped about Moscow. Her army,
while uniformly defeated in battle, still
presented a solid front. Some day it
will be acknowledged that Kuropatkin IS
skillin extricating his army from hope.
less positions, redressing the $anks, and
4
trous defeat, helped Russia in the end
to make a peace which saves her dig.
nifty and leaves her among the great
powers. Russia was therefore not a
conquered nation, and M. Whites in.
sistence that he would not pay an in.
demnity was well within reason!
Did Japan, in withdrawing the de
mand for an indemnity, surrender the
fruits Of her struggles in the field
One has but to look at the new MAP
of the east made at Portsmouth yester
day to answer that question in the
negative. Japan has gained the con
troll Of Korea, the possession of Port
Arthur, Dalny and the Elliot islands
which were Togo's base in the early
stages of the war. She has obtaine
control, thru the Chinese, Of the rail
way from Port Arthur up to Hardin
She gets half of Saghalien island, which
is "a clear cession Of Russian territory
and which adds to her naval suprema
cy as well as affording her CONNER,
cial and fishing advantages, Tbs whole