New-York tribune., 1905-08-30
PEACE.

1t is peace The news that we publish to-day
| from Portsmouth is welcome to the world as
/ the ful1ilment of the desire of nations. we
| NAV saw too it has been expected. True, there
have been some forebodings from the first, and in
the last few days more than one observer mas
been inclined to abandon hope But we believe
| these columns have from the beginning ex-
pressed the better expectation, almost the conf
| dence of the world in holding that in one way
or another the conference must result in peace.
| In that consummation the world will cordially
! rejoice We may not altogether agree either
with Samuel Buffers citation, that an unJuSI
| peace is to be preferred before just war, or
with Franklins dlctum, that there never was
| good war or bad peace: but this we may
| well believe-that the peace concluded yester-
day at Portsmouth will be better than pro-
longation of the war. and that whatever may
be thought of some of its detailed terms, 1t WILL
on the whole, be good, just an honorapie
and reasonable peace.
There is ample ground for congratulations TO
both of the late bellgerents. Neither has gained
ali that il may have hoped TO gain; but, then,
neither has lost all that 1t might have lost or
that it rsked in making its appeal to the arbitra-
ment Of war. The possibilities OF war are so
dreadful that any nation that comes out OF II
unruined may justly claim congratulations Ii
was not easy for SO great and proud nation
to hold, to pay forfeit for her deeds and to ac-
knowledge her errors and her defeat; but at
least she has not suffered the extreme abase-
ment and loss Of the wholly Vanquished, while
the lessons she has learned and the discipline
she has endured-which, according to her own
testimony, were supremely needed-may, II
rightly improved, far more than repay her for
her losses 1t has not been easy for victorious
Japan so far TO abate her exultadon as TO re-
frain from exacting the fullest spoils OF war
which her unprecedented triumphs may have
caused her TO desire may have placed, as she
thought within her reach. But at least she has
secured in full measure every object for which
she went to war, and much besides Two years
ago she would have been abundanuy satisfied
with the recognition of her paramount influence
in Corea and the withdrawal of Russia from
Manchuria Now she has gained those things,
and besides has regained her holdings at Port
Arthur and Dalny; she has acquired the Man
churian railroad, she has largely increased the
size and power Of her navy at Russias expense
and she has banished the Russian navy from
the Pacific Ocean. If TO those achievements we
add the enormous enhancement of her prestige
among the great powers of the world, we shall
see how well she can afford to mark her de-
mands in peacemaking with that moderation
which is one Of the noblest attributes of tri-
umph.
1t is peace; and in this elimination of an
international incident without parallel in hui
man history the chief credit and praise are due
to the chief peacemaker. We could scarcely
speak too highly Of the four statesmen who
have been IN momentous conference at Ports
mouth and who have with so much courtesy to
their opponents and so much loyalty and devo-
ton to their own countries been the protago-
niSts of their respective causes. But before and
above even those distinguished guests of the
nation the world will regard the chivalrOus
knight errant OF peace who alone has made
their meeting and their achievements possible.
When no other ruler In the world would could
take such a step, he bravely and tacfully as
sumed the initiative in bringing the warning
powers together. 1t was he who brought those
four plenipotentiaries to Portsmouth. When the
negotiations seemed to have reached deadlock
and to be in danger Of failure, it was he who
pressed the benevolent factor Of his own mas
terfuI personality into the problem, not only
once, but again and again. until by exercise
Of single handed influence unsurpassed In his
tory he practically compelled success. "a diplo-
matte triumph Of the first magnitude" was the
Russian estimate of his initial achievement In
securing the peace conference This final
achievement is something more It transcends
mere diplomacy. and is triumph for peace, for
reason and for humanity. The tidings Of the day
are peace, and the peace is the work Of Theo-
dore Roosevelt.