The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-06-22
WASHINGTON.
From our Regular Correspondent.

washington, ~ ~, JullC lSJ l9OS
The extraordinary crop of olive
branches which President Roose-
welt has grown OH his "big stick"
to be the ninth wonder
of the world and the diplomatic
crowd is watching with the utmost
interest the final results of the at
tempts of "the War. Lord to pay
the role of peace maker. That he
has undertaken to deal with two
of the most difficult powers on the
planet is everywhere appreciated.
Russia is proving as uniformly as
she has proved in the past and Jap
an is as calm and unperturbed in
her diplomatic negotiations as she
has been Throughout the war. In
her diplomacy, Japan is perfectly
frank. absolutely unyielding, en-
tirely self-confident and throughout
determined that she will in no way
forfeit to the wilier diplomacy of
her enemy the fruits OF the victor
les she has won by force of arms.
Russia, on the other hand, although
defeated almost to prostration ap-
pears to be incapable of frankness
or directness in her diplomatic ne
gotiations and her methods are such
as to arouse the suspicion Of Japan
at every turn. The President, on
the other hand. is hopeful of his
ability to carry out his peace pro-
gramme and, frank to fault him
self appears incapable of seeing
anything but sincerity in the ma
tions with whom he is dealing. 1t
is possible, too, that his confidence
may prove sufficient in itself to in
sure an effort on the part Of Russia
to rise to the high plane on which
the President ingenuously places
her.
Xxx
Even in advance of final settle
ment Of the primary question, as to
whether Russia reply to the Presi-
dents identical note is satisfactory
to Japan, the question of a place OF
meeting for the prospective plenipo-
tentiaries is being discussed and al
though all such discussion is purely
tentative the Hague is regarded by
those in a position to know as most
likely to be selected despite the fact
that it has not yet been formally
suggested by either belligerents or
by the President. Washington has
been discussed to some extent and
it is opposed by Ambassador Cassi-
nj for peculiar reason. The Rus
sian diplomat announces that the
newspaper correspondents in Wash
ington have too good sources Of
information and are too keen in
putting two and two together and
surmising what goes ON behind
closed doors to make it possible to
hold absolutely secret conferences
in the national capital. While the
Ambassadors objection is wholly
displeasing to the newspapermen,
there is no class of men in Wash
ington who more hope that the ne
gotiations will be conducted else
where than the newspapermen, who
have already experienced an alto
gether too strenuous two weeks
since the peace negotiations were
first instituted and who would ap-
preciate little opportunity for rest
before the assembling of the next
Congress which promises to afford
more opportunities for hard work
and big news" than any recent
session of the legislature.
XXX
Speaking of newspapermen re-
calls the fact that the energy of the
government in its efforts
10 induce the better class of Ameri-
can farmers and artisans to migrate
TO the Canadian Northwest knows
no bounds. For a year past the
newspapers of this country, and es-
pecially of the west have been filled
with the most alluring accounts of
the opportunities for Americans in
that section of this continent and
now, with view to procuring gen
erous advertising in the press of
this country, the Canadian Pacific
Railway has planned an extended
excursion for Washington Cores
pondents. Twenty FIVE of the lead
ing correspondents in Washington
will be taken in a private car for a
three weeks trip through TIE Can
adian agricultural country at no
I.