The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1905-06-23
WASHINGTON LETTER.

w 4S44x4N0 AVV LII l. 4es
The selection of Washington as the
meeting place of the Russian and Japan
plenipotentiaries will prove source of
qualification to Americans generally.
The President at least, is entirely con-
6dent that the foundations for lasting
peace in the Orient will be laid at the
conference which is to assemble here in
the not distant future.
*x*
The place of meeting having been
decided on speculation regarding the
possible date of the conference is now
rife and this has served to demonstrate
how extraordinarily short is the journey
around the world becoming. Count
Cassiui, who hopes for an early conven.
ing of the conference, figured ont today
that the japanese plenipotentiaries could
leave Yokohama on the Empress of
India, one Of the fastest ships on the
Pacific, on June 80, reach Vancouver on
July IL and Washington on July IS,
making il in an eighteen day journey
from the japanese capital (which is only
a few hours journey from Yokohama)
to the capital of the United States.
~
1t Is not generally believed however
that the Japanese will be willing to move
with the expedition which would be
necessary to bring about meeting at so
early q date, especially as this would
mean that they would have two weeks
in which to appoint plenipotentiaries,
prepare the expensive data which they
will deem it necessary to bring with them
and make their sailing arrangements.
Opinion varies widely among those best
able to judge of the probable date of
the conference and many place the date
as late as September 7. The diplomats
and others who will be compelled to
remain close to the scene of the nego-
tiations sincerely hope that the latter
date may be chosen as the warm weather
would probably have moderated by that
time and they would be relieved from the
possible necessity of moving to some
resort where accommodations would be
hard to secure and would command ex-
horbitant prices.
~
Japan had made public the text of her
reply to the Presidents identic note,
through her Minister. Kogoro Takahira,
while Russia persistently refuses to make
public her answer to the Presidents COM
municatiou. In the estimation of dip.
lcmats generally Japan has scored a
point for frank and just dealing in this
respect. Russia's refusal to make public
the text of her reply has thrown her
open to suspicion on two grounds. 1t is
generally assumed that the real text Of
the reply shows such vast discrepancy
with the statements given ont in St.
Petersburg "for home consumption"
that Russia is afraid to have it published
for fear that it will be cabled back to
Russia and will there reveal the extent to
which the government has been deceiving
the people. If this is the case it will
recall the action of China which, after
being defeated by Japan at every turn,
constantly gave out statements at Pekin
describing how the Japs were begging.
on Bonded knees. for mercy and how the
benignant Emperor of the Celestial King
dom had determined to show mercy to
the miserable and unfortunate people of
the Island Kingdom.
-
The text of the Japanese reply has,
however. suggested another hypothesis
Japan uses the precise phraseology of the
President and has forwarded a reply
which must command general respect