The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-08-17
Witte Says He is Doing His
 Pah to That End
CRISIS WILL COME MONDAY
Strong Pressure Is Being Exerted on Japan Not to Insist on
 Heavy Money ln-
 demnity. Nsi

.--
 demnity. lziLiEi
 Portsmouth N. H., August 16-The pros poets of peace are distinctly brighter to- night. The plenipotentiaries are laboring with seriousness and earnestness which leaves not the slightest doubt that both are anxious to conclude a treaty. Though the main points remain to be contested, and the plenipotentiaries of each side speak as though the conference would go to pieces unless the other side give way, the spirit of compromise Is In the air. When he returned to the hotel tonight M. Witte, who was tired out with his hard days work, said:
 ''I am doing all I can for peace. Of the eight articles we have already considered I have yielded seven. No other statesman in Russia would have dared to do so, and I have done what I have done upon my own responsibility"
 Crisis Will Come Monday.
 From an authoritative source 1t is now possible to forecast with fair degree of accuracy that the crisis will come on next Monday. Articles and 8, dealing with the fate of the Chinese Eastern rail- road having been disposed of today, there remains in addition to. the cession of Sakhalin, which was passed over, the question of indemnity, which comes up tomorrow as article g, the limitation of Russias sea power in the far east, the surrender of the interned wsrships and the grant to Japan of fishing rights on the littoral north of vladivostok.
 To all except the latter, to which Rus sia will agree, a negative answer has been returned, which is absolute In the case of indemnity and Salxhalin. Perhaps both the others may be modified and accepted by M. Witte in order to strengthen his position insisting upon a concession from
 pan regarding it's demands of an in- -tty and Sakhalin.
 yielding on either side of the
 it can be regarded as practically
 fin that M. Witte would consult the
 lperor.
 Will Trow Down Last Cards.
 The exchange of views on the five re- maining articles Is expected to be com- pleted on Friday or Saturday morning at the latest. The plenipotentiaries will then adjourn until Monday, when their last cards will be thrown on the table. If there is to be bargaining it will come then, and suddenly the conference will be over, or peace will be assured. The plen- ipotentiaries will come together with protocols drawn up to sign. and part or remain for the elaboration of the treaty Of a i'm ufo nd disposed of today, the former fin prin- ciple', the latter Unanimously" accord ing to the official bulletin. Article ' pro- vides for the cession to China of the branch of the Chinese Eastern railroad running south from Harbin to Port Ar thur and Dalny, and with branch line connecting at New Chwang with the Shan-Hai- K -Tien-Tsin road.
 Article 8 provides for the retention by Russia of the line through northern Manchuria which forms a connecting link of the main line of the trans-Siberian and the Unsurri, with its terminus at vladi- vostok and Kharborovsk.
 Convenient Method of Postponlng.
 From both sides the Associated Press Is informed that the acceptance 'in prin- cipal of Article ', only means that cer- tain points remain to be elaborated, not that a dispute still exL ts.'' s1oor., this may be possibly only a convenientH ff,s- cd of postponing unil the final strug- gle the acceptance of al article which would be used in the ultimate eompro- mise. Russia by the acceptance of these two articles in connection with Articles 2, B. and 6, surrenders every vestige of her ambition in Manchuria- She closes the door to the warm water. 1. e.. free port of Dalny upon which she law ished her millions and retains only a ot..1 tl,a If..1r Cf fha ,saf connecting her European possessions with the maritime provinces upon the Pacific The right to police it with Russian troops or railroad guards is given up, and it's protection will become the duty of China. The Chinese Eastern road Is T shaped The stem runs from. Harbn south. The top runs from the station Manchuria-on- Amur to Pograntchnaia. where it con- neets with the government-owned Un- surf road to the coast. It was this "cut-off'' which more than anything else paved the way for what is known as the "Manchuran adventure" changing the whole plan of M Witte while minister of finance His object had been only to make of Talienwan or Dalny com- mercial entry pot for foreign trade, but with the stategic railroad behind them 'sthe war party's aggressive policy" be- gan.
 The shares of the Chinese Eastern com pany consist of $2,50O,000 which in the form of single certificate are held in the coffers of the Russo-Chinese bank as trustee. The per cent bonds issued from time to time for it's construction were guaranteed by the Russian govern ment. and amount to over s2O0. 100000. The bonds as far as possible were sold to the bankers and the public. They were listed on the stock exchanges of Russia, Berlin and Paris, and are now selling at between S2 and S3.
 Government Foots the Bills. The Russian minister of finance has annually paid not only the interest on the bonds but the deficits in the op- erating expenses of the road which have been heavy. As about half this money went into the Port Arthur branch the Russian treasury is out of pocket about half of the total cost of the railroad. | The only hope of saving Is to arrange with China Japan. too, will have her claim against the Pexin government for the restoration of the road after 1t was destroyed by the Russian army. the re- | building of the bridges, and the change in the gauge It is believed these two | questions are left by the article for each country to arrange with the Celes- | tial empire.
 There were persistent rumors about the