The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1905-06-15
President Roosevelt's Note.

"On June 8, the following dispatch was
sent by the President, through diplomatic
channels to the Japanese and Russian
governments
1.-The President feels that the time has
come when in the interest of all mankind,
be must endavor to see if it is not possible
to bring and end to the terrible and
lamentable conflict now being waged.
With both Russia and Japan the United
States has Inherited ties of friendship and
good will 1t hopes for the prosperity and
welfare of each and it feels that the pro
gress of the world is set back by the war
between these two great nations. The
President accordingly urges the Russian
and Japanese governments not only for
their own sakeS, but in the interest OF the
whole civilized word, to open direct
negotiations tor peace with one another.
The President suggests that these
peace nego iations be conducted directly
and exclusively between the belligerents
and in other words that there may be a
meeting of Russian and Japanese plenipo-
ten aries or delegates without any inter-
mediary, in order 10 see if it is not
possible for these representatives of the
TWO powers to agree to terms of peace.
The President earnestly asks that the
(Russian), Uapanese)governmentd do now
agree to such meeting. and is asking the
Oapanese). (Russian) government like
wise to agree.
"While the President does not feel that
any Intermediary should be called in
respect to the peace negotiations them
elves, he is entirely willing to do what he
properly can if the two powers concerned
leel that his services will be OF aid in
arranging the prelminars as to the time
and place o. meeting. But il even these
preimnaries can he arranged directly
between the two powers, or in any other
way, the President will be glad, as his
sole purpose is TO bring about a meeting
which the whole civilized world will pray
may result in peace"
Japan was the first of the two powers
to indicate its acceptance Of President
Roosevelts proposition. The former re-
Spouse to his Identical note of Thursday
last was received from the Japanese gov
of acceptance Of the Presidents sugges-
ton were received Fl om the Russian gov
eminent, little later but the assurances
from ST. Petersburg were not OF the same
definite character as had been received
from Toxic. Early Monday, Ambassa-
dor Meyer, at S. Petersburg, informed
this government that Russia had accepted
the Presidents proposition and would
name representatives with plenary powers
to meet plenipotentaries of Japan. While
satisfactory. the response of Russia was
not in the same de finite form as that Of
Japan. 1t had been the expectation of
the Presiden. to publish to the world the
replies OF the two governments to his
identical notes, but under the CirCum-
stances this could not be done
A few hours subsequent to the receipt
of Ambassador Meyers cablegtam, Count
Cassini. the Russian ambassador, made
an appointment to see President Roose-
welt at IL O'Clock, Monday. The am
bassador. in the conference which follow
ed, presented verbally Russia'S accept
ance Of the Presidents proposition for a
conference to discuss peace terms. He
had been instructed by the St. Petersburg
government to convey to the President
the willingness of Emperor Nicholas TO
appoint plenipotentaries to meet like rep
resenta,ives OF the Emperor Of Japan to
negotiate treaty of peace. While the
response of the Russian government was
not leduced to writing it was regarded
for the time, as sufficient for the negotia-
tons. Shortly afterward the official
statement quoted was made public