The daily morning journal and courier., 1905-08-28
NO WORD FROM TOKIO;;-
 MEETING IS POSTPONED
PEACE ENTOYS TO GATHER TOMORROW INSTEAD OTTO
 DAT.

SusEests the HrOpEletS OA HVSt-
 ponement, Which was Readily
 Agreed to-Life of the Conference
 Seems to Hang by a Thread-Nr.
 Takahira Says Situation is Not Hope
 less But Almost.
 Portsmouth, N. H., Aug. 27.-The life of the peace conference to-day seems to hang by a thread, but the thread will not be broken tomorrow. At 10 o'clock tonight, after a two-hours' conference between MT. Takahira and M. Witte in the latter's room in the ho- tel annex, the announcement of the postponement was made. M. Witte eX- plained to the Associated Press that MT. Takahira had told him that no new instructions had reached him from To- kio, and, fearing none might be receiY- ed before the meeting tomorrow, he had suggested the propriety of post poning the meeting until Tuesday. To this M. Witte said he had readily as- sented. MT. Takahira made the fol- lowing statement to the Associated Press:
 'Inasrnuch as this conference was in itiated by the friendly offices of your president, after consultation we felt that we should be cautious about ter 1ninating it's labors."
 Pressed as to whether he regarded the situation as hopeless, MT. Taka- hira said: ''No not hopeless, but al- most hopeless."' s- ..-t.. ..... This in itself from one who has spok- en always ill the most guarded fashion is sufficient to show the desperateness of the situation. The real crisis in the negotiations is at hand. It is very acute but if it can be tided over for few days without a rupture a basis of peace acceptable to both sides may come very suddenly. But to save the situation now Japan must speak II on Tuesday she has nothing to offer all IS over M Witte, even if he would, IS powerless to make a new step. His hands are tied. He now occupies the role of an imperial messenger who transmits his masters orders to Baron Kornura, and Baron Komura turns them over to Tokio for the response. The conference room has ceased to be place for negotiations. It is simply the place where the ernperors of the war ring countries exchange their comInu- nications by the hands of their enyoys. And upon the point of indemnity, or reimbursement of fraires de gurre url- der any disguise, Emperor Nicholas has given the Japanese emperor his last word. M. Witte accepts it as final, and in writing yesterday informed the Jap anese plenipotentiaries that Russia would have nothing further to say up- on the subject. Russia would cede half of Sakhalin and pay the cost ot the maintenance of the Russian prisoners, but that was all. Emperor Nicholas had given the same response to the president through Ambassador Meyer. The Russians generally are not dis pleased with the situation, They be- lieye that Japan has Automatically covered into a corner in which she per- sists in her attempt to exact tribute, and. with the alternative of continu- + ance of the war, she cannot extrlcate herself.
 Japan's standing in Europe, they say, appealed for sympathy on the ground that Russia had compelled her to take up arms to protect her life. The for tune of war had gone in, her favor, and Russia, recognizing that she had been beaten and preferring peace to the con tinuation of the war, had agreed to cede upon every point in volved in the quarrel. She was willing to allow Ja- pan full swing in Korea, she was will ing to get out of Manchuria bag and baggage and commit herself to the rec- ognition of China's integrity and the policy of the "open door," But Japan insisted upon tribute and, because Rus sia refused, prolonged the carnage. Tn that act, they contend, Japan would change the purpose and character of the war, which would cease to be long, CT one of principle, but degenerate into a war for the exaction of money.
 There is no doubt that the Japanese are worried over this aspect of the sit- uation and they do not propose to be placed in this position if it can be helped. With the sentiment existing in Japan demanding reimbursement for the expenses of the war money pay ment beyond what would be obtained for the maintenance of the Russian prisoners and the Chinese Eastern rail- road not be foregone. But if redemp- lion by ttuSSld COulu U6 pldCeu upon purely commercial basis Russia might agree to it. Logic points in this direction for the ultimate com promise, if there is to be one
 Whether the president has renewed his efforts cannot be aseertained here His former suggestion for a compro- mise failed. He made his appeal sim. 1llta11eousIy to both the czar and the emperor of Japan. He proposed the s"indemnity- Sakhalin" combination, but not in the form in which it was pre- scented by Baron Komura at Wednes- days meeting. Instead of setting the price 1,2O0,O00 yen, the estimated cost of the war), he suggested that if ar greement could not be reached the fix. ing of the price should be left to a board of commission. But Japan in- sisted upon inserting the sum and thus made it impossible, in view of the Rus. sian declaration ito accept it. Emperor Nicholas refusal to go further in addi tion to the concessions already made than to agree to the cession of half o. SaIShalin. .-..
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