The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1905-08-31
The PEACE OF PORTSMOUTH.

tatives in the conference were express
ing a deep despondency over the pros
poets Of peace and loudly explaining tc
| the world the reasons, cogent and un
answerable Why 1t could not be Sc
cured. II the drama enacted had not
involved so much. had not been
fraught with such mammoth questions
| Involving the life and happiness OF
millions, Il could be written as q roar
ing farce.
II is not necessary here to review
the negotiations nor to call attention
TO the hourly repeated assurance oil
| the representatives. that further con
cessions by them would be nothing but
an acceptance Of an inniction of hui
initiation and disgrace upon their
countries.
It appears now that it was an orr
entail dicker marked throughout with
deception. with affectation. with
frowns and with tears II was the Mon
golian pure Of the South against the
| mixed Tartar-MOngolian breed OF the
| North, each true to its Oriental blood
and following those lines Of Oriental
diplomacy which have not been de-
parted from since the yellow man took
A part in the worlds affairs.
The performance over, the results
are to be arrived at. Japan receded
| from her demand for indemnity for
, the Island Of Sakhalin, for the in
termed Russian war vessels, and for
a limitation of the Russian naval pow
er in the East. Russia was not forced
| to pay an indemnity. was permitted
| to retain the northern half of the
Sakhalin Island, was not limited in her
naval power in the east Both nations
| agreed to eyacuate Manchuria, to turn
| back TO China the territory which
they were occupying, and to preserve
| the open door in that country.
At the first blush, or rather by con.
sidering only the last phases OF the
/ negotiations. or rather the last and
most important points in such negotia'
tions, the impression is left that Rus
sia won decisive victory in this dip
! lomatic combat, and that she comes
out of It, IL not with glory, then al
! least with her prestige unimpaiiru
| She called the worlds attention to the
| fact that she was asked to give tern
tory and blood money. She emphasized
these two demands of Japan TO the
extent of impressing, as was her pur
pose. the world with the belief tha
they were the most serious Of all tha
was made. and that she would no
yield to them. In carrying her poin
on the two she would thereby save hei
| face
Japan insisted on the whole of th'
island mentioned and of a stupendou
sum 10 repay her financial losses in
CURED by the war. Indeed, her states
men set the figures at thousand mil
lions OF dollars This was before th'
conference. Throughout the negotia
tions she adhered TO the demand 70
compensation for her expenses, bu
these demands she modified as sh
proceeded in III, settlement of othe
questions Finally she withdrew al
claims in this respect,
Time and closer investigation o
the results of the conference at Ports
mouth will probably wholly correc
any impress sion that Russia got III
best OF the bargain. Indeed, there is
probability that all she secured was
longer lease of life for her autocrati
government That was in danger. an,
il may be saved by Whites carrying
home the news Of peace and the eN
planation that II was secured withou
humiliation. And il is probable ais,
that Japan loaded her demands $,
that she really expected, while permit
, ting Russia TO save her face. Russi'
had emphatically occupied Manchuria
Russia had occupied The strategi,
points of Port Arthur and Dalny, on,
for war and the other for commerce
She had denied the right of Japan {,
preponderating influence in Kore'
and was really threatening at the yer!
doors Of Japan Russia had sent he
railroads through Manchuria down t,
the warm water ports, and had don,
so at a cost Of untold millions Sh,
had come 20 stay.
She lost Port Arthur She lost Dalny
She lost her railroad from south o
Harbin TO the warm water ports
These are conceded by her 10 be los
forever \ few of her great war YES
sells went TO the bottom The rest ar,
sailing the seas under Japanese names