The daily morning journal and courier., 1905-08-24

naval strength on the Pacific be re- stricted brings no new element into the
 transaction, for the withdrawal of those claims, which were obviously put for ward with the intention of being waiv- ed in the course of negotiations, is de- void of importance. The disarmed ships in question are Russia's by right, and
 to ask that they be handed over to Ja-
 pan is to demand breach of the law lOf nations. Again, the limitation of Russia's naval effectiveness on the Pa eiic is meaningless, because she will be
 unable for a quarter, or it may be half, lof century to dispose of warships
 enough to keep a squadron there equal to Japan's, while it would be fruitless to maintain a smaller one. Conse-,
 quently to speak of those things as con-. sessions is but to play with words. It is equally childish to affirm that Japan foregoes her claim for an indemnity be- cause the new proposal does not actu- i ally mention it. All that she does is to join the question of Sakhalin with that
 ef cash payment and to insist upon Var costs under the name of purchase money. The transaction is fictitious and the terminology misleading. If
 what Is proposed be in truth purchase
 and sale it should be treated as such;
 and, therefore, should Russia decline to buy the territory, Japan should keep it
 and conclude peace on the basis of the
 concessions already made. Again, if a purely business transaction were indeed intended, the value of the territory of- fered would be the basis on which the two parties would treat. But here even this essential condition is not observed.
 The price demanded for the northern half of the island is 1,200,000,000 yen, which is the, original estimate of the war costs. Possibly Japan may have fixed that sum with the intention of
 whittling it down to some extent later on. but Russia, mindful of her national hcnor, Of her military strength and of her historic traditions, will not and
 cannot to consent to pay war inden1- nity by whatsoever name it may be called, nor can she, indeed, the world
 at large, regard Japan's proposal as a fproof of a genuine desire for peace. H
 Japan having obtained all she need
 ed and longed for as. a nation now
 narrows down the issue to question of
 dollars and cents. yet refuses, for peace sake, to waive her demand. Rus sia, on the contrary, has conceded freely and fully everything she could
 give consistently with her sense of na- tional honor and dignity. Hence what
 to Japan Is but a matter of money is to Russia a matter of honor. To with draw the cash claim is; therefore, im-
 measurably easier to Japan than 1t 1 would be for Russia to allow 1t. Rus sia has suffered reverses owing to her 1 lack of organization, her unprepared- ness and her internal disorders. But she is still a mighty and unconquered | nation, whose people will enthusiastic ally uphold their representatives in their firm resolve to keep the national
 escutcheon immaculate. Whatever else
 may be affirmed or denied of them, that is true. They alone are the Judges of what can and cannot be done in Russia's name. If therefore the efforts of American friends are to be crowned
 with success, If the labors of the con ference are not to end in smoke, and if the effusione of blood in the Far East is
 to be terminated, 1t behooyes Japan to
 make a frank declaration that she with | draws without reserve her demand to have her war costs paid in any shape or form; Therefore, despite the positive
 and emphatic declaration of the well
 meaning but mistaken journalists all luaed to above peace is not and cannot
 be assured until Japan ounreservedly
 wtthdraws her claim to. have the costs
 of the campaign refunded by Russia"
 Portsmouth. N, H., Aug. 2S.--From
 an authoritative Japanese source the
 Associated Press is informed that the proposition to divide the island of Sak-
 halin came originally from the Russian
 side. ...