Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-08-19
RUSSIAN OBJECTION
To the Japanese Attitude Regarding
IsIar,d Of Sakhalin.

Portsmouth. \. H., Aug. 1S.-Hav-
ing read the statement from a japanese
member Of Parliament made few
DAYS ago by The Associated Press CIV
| ing the japanese attitude regarding
Sakhalin, MIR. Alexandra BriantchahioH,
correspondent for the Slovo Of st.
| Petersburg yoicing the Russian eN-
ceptions to the statement said, Friday:
| Zone of the great bars to the con-
clusiOn Of treaty Of peace, SO much
desired by the whole civilized world. Is
the difference between the plenipoten-
tiaries on the question of Sal1halin.
The japanese pretend that Sakhalin IS
really an organic part of their empire.
They say it only came into Russia's
possession through force and th-t Rus
STA would lose little in ceding It back
10 Japan as she has shown her inability
TO exploit it's resources. having used it
only for the colonization Of criminals.
The Japanese people they say on the
contrary have always considered them
selves the rightful owners and having
now taken 1t by conquest will never
submit to rellnquish it. Of course it
Is certain that tie Japanese. once IT.
legal possession of the island. will ac
conplish there much more than the
Russian government has in the past
not only i'll an agricultural. industrial
and colonizing way, but especially III
military and strategic way.
I'VE cannot deny that the success of
their arms has given them certain
claims to tho island but these are the
only claims they posses. But possession
can only be legaized by the ratification
of treaty. 1t is an error for them to
claim historical rights no the possession.
Up to the last century the island was
inhabited only by tho native barbaric
tribes Then a few Russian col"nistS
landed and occupied certain parts Of the
island. The Japanese began fishing in
the waters OF the southern end Of the
island. Some very small fishing yillagcr
were built. At last the legal status OF
| the island arose. Propositions We're
made to divide 1t between Russia aid
Japan The Japanese never made any
claim to the whole island and their polit-
| ical interests there were so limited that
| in 1855 (Treaty of Symodo) and in 1873
| (Treaty of st. Petersburg) the Japanese
| only asked the dclimitation of the 'front.'
| Ter between the two possessions at the
extreme south end of the island
"lr, 1878. the Japanese minister for
| foreign affairs. Soissima. proposed to
| Russia to cedc the Japanese part of the
| island. in exchange for Russian ncu-
trality during the war of conquest
which they then contemplated against
Corea and finally i'll 1875. it was the
Japanese who transferred the pour
parlars regarding the island to st. Pc
i 1T 70 a NJ
clusion. receiving, in return for their
possessions in south Sakhalin. the Rus
sian kuriles. They never claimed they
were forced to the exchange. No one Ill
Japan protested against this treaty,
their fishing interests in the waters OF
the island having been fully protected.
They then made no pretentions to col
onization there as they had not yet
completed the colonization of the most
nortnerly of their own group OF Islands
-Hakkaide. Instead of desiring to ex-
tend their colonizing efforts northward
they had turned their eyes to the moro
alluring prospects to the west and south
Corea. FormuSa and the Philippines.
The claim to historical and national
rights to the island are therefore not
warranted. The Japanese in WORD
are seeking to profit by their present
success to completely and definitely as
sure their paramount position in the
Far East. Sakhalin in their hands
means Nladivostok. Russia's sole and
insufficient base on the Pacific. at the
mercy Of Jan1n. NlsdiNoStok could b.
attacked from three sides. Russia would
no Longer have the possibility OF resist