West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1905-06-22
OUR washington LETTER
President Roosevelt Has a Big Job
On Hand Trying to Make Peace
BETWEEN RUSSIA AND JAPAN.
How the Boom Of Secretary Shaw
For the Presidency Got Stuck
In The Mud.
From Oar Regular core.ponden,

1
The extraordinary crop of olive
branches which President Roosevelt
has grown on his "big stick" con.
tinues to be the ninth wonder of the
werld and the diplomatic crowd is
watching with the utmost interest
the final results Of the attempts of
"the War Lord" to play the role Of
peace maker. That he has under.
taken 10 deal with two of the most
difficult powers on the planet is
everywhere appreciated. Russia is
proving as uniformly as she has
proved in the past and Japan is as
calm and unperturbed in her diplo-
matte negotiations as she has been
throughout the war. In her diplo-
macy, Japan is perfectly frank, alb.
solutelY unyielding, entirely self-con-
hdent and throughout determined
that she will in no way forfeit to the
wlier diplomacy of her enemy the
fruits of the welcomes she has won
by force of arms. Russia, on the
other hand, although defeated al
most to prostration, appears to he
incapable of frankness or directness
in her diplomatic negotiations and
her methods are such as to arouse
the suspicion of Japan at every turn.
The President, on the other hand,
is hopeful of his ability to carry out
his peace programme and, frank to
fault himself, appears incapable OF
seeing anything but sincerity in the
nations with whom he is dealing.
II is possible, too, that his conf
dence may prove sufficient in itself
to insure an effort on the part of
Russia to rise to the high plane on
which the President ingenlously
places her.
Even IN advance of final settle
ment of the primary question, as to
whether Russia's reply to the Presi-
dents Identical note is satisfactory,
to Japan, the question OF place of
meeting for the prospective pleni
potentiaries is being discussed and
although all such discussion is pure
ly tentative the Hague is regarded
by those in position to know as
most likely TO be selected despite
the fact that it has not yet been for.
mally suggested by either belliger-
ents or by the President. Washing
ton has been discussed to some ex.
tent and it is opposed 10y Ambassa.
dor Cassini for peculiar reason.
The Russian diplomat announces
that the newspaper correspondents
in Washington have too good sour.
ces of information and are too keen
in putting two and two together and
surmising what goes on behind clos
ed doors to make it possible to hold
absolutely secret conferences in the
national capital. While the Ambas-
sador's objection is not wholly dis
pleasing to the newspapermen, there
IS no class of men in Washington
who more hope that the negotia-
tions will be conducted elsewhere
than the newspapermen, who have
already experiences an altogether
too strenuous two weeks since the
peace negotiations were first insti.
tuted and who would appreciate
little opportunity for rest before the
assembling Of the next Congress
which promises TO afford more op-
portunities for hard work and "big
news than any recent session Of
the national legislature.
Speaking Of newspapermen recalls
the fact that the energy OF the Can.
adian government in its efforts to
induce the better class OF American
farmers and artisans TO immigrate
TO the Canadian Northwest knows
no bounds. For a year past the
newspapers Of this country, and es-
pecially Of the west have been filled
with the most alluring accounts Of
the opportunities for Americans in
that section Of this continent and
now, with a view to procuring gen
erous advertising in the press Of this
country, the Canadian Pacific Rail.
way has planned an extended ex
cursion for Washington correspon.
dents. Twenty-Five of the leading
correspondents in Washington will
be taken in a private car for three
weeks trip through the Canadian
agricultural country at no cost to
them but entirely as the guests Of
the Railway. OF course the Rail.
way Company expects to be we'll re-
paid by the amount Of free advertis-
ing with which the newspapermen
will return the courtesy thas extend.
ed to them.
And still appropos Of newspaper.
men, the launching Of Secretary
Shaw's presidential boom and It's
disasterous ending seems worth re-.
peating. The astute Secretary OF
the Treasury recently determined TO
secure the friendship Of the Wash.
ington scribes accordingly wrote to
about one hundred Of them personal
notes requesting the pleasure OF
their company at dinner at resort
some miles down the river. The
day arrived and with il the revenue
cutter Window and az 6 p. m. the
Secretary and his hundred guests
steamed bravely out OF harbor.
Dinner was served on time and the
return trip was begun when the
flashlights from Forts Hunt and
| Washington blinded the Windows