The Red Cloud chief., 1905-08-18

beTldnu IoT IcSSIOH VI odNlld''n W
Passed for the Present-Mutual
Pledges Made to Respect Integrity
of China.
Portsmouth, N. H.. Aug. 1G.-The
crisis in the peace negotiations, upon
which the eyes of the world are fast.
ened, Is approaching rapidly and the
end Of this week, or the first of mex
at the latest, should witness the dead.
lock and the end, If the conference Is
to go to pieces. Two more of the
twelve articles, Nos. 4 and 6, were dis.
posed Of. Article 4 consists of mutual
pledges to observe the integrity OF
China and the policy of the open
door" for the commerce of all nations.
and article 6 covers the surrender of
the Russian leases TO the Lao Tung
peninsula, Port Arthur, Dalny and the
Blonde and Elliott islands.
To article 4 both parties gave ready
assent and the official statement Of
the adoption Of that article took care
TO state that IL was agreed to unani-
mously. Article s, the consideration
OF which was postponed until later,
provides for the cession Of the island
of Sakhalin. Discussion appearing
useless at this stage on account Of
the firm negative given in the Russian
reply, 1t was decided, upon the mo-
ton of the Japanese, to defer its dis
cussion, thus revealing the Japanese
intention OF p%ostponing to the end the
life and death struggle. This is the
usual procedure followed in diplomatic
negotiations, enabling the negotiators
to come to an accord upon all possible
points before tackling the crucial is
sues, and the fact that the Russians
acquiesced in the proposition shows
that they, too. are as careful and as
anxious as are the Japanese that the
world should not accuse them of be.
ing responsible for precipitating tho
break, If break there is TO be, and
wrecking the conference. This. in
Itself, is a hopeful sign. Besides. by
postpOning the burning questions to
the end the psychological moment for
100 SNAH Wv N'Allll'Allo' dlllN'o'
Then hurriedly the last trump cards
are played and the game Is done.
And there is growing hope of COM
promise. To the closest observers the
final solution begins TO crystalize quite
naturally, the Russians yielding the
Cossion Of Sakhalin. Japan foregoing
the cost Of the war" but taking com.
pensation in the money to he refunded
to Japan by China on account of the
transfer to her Of the Chinese East.
ern railroad, which Russia contends
belongs 10 a private corporation,
therefore uncomfortable by Japan,
the Russian government property IN
Port Arthur and Dalny and remunera-
ton for the maintenance of the l00.-
OoO Russian prisoners in Japan. Ac-
cordlng to the Russian view. Japau
mas already secured all and moro than
she dreamed of claiming before the
war. To insist upon a foe who has
still half a million men confronting
her in the field, footing the bill for
the cost Of the war As the price O.
peace would, the Russians say, change
h character of the military struggle
henceforth from one of certain prin,
ciples To one for the eXaction OF
blood money" All questions rela,,
ing to Korea and Manchuria. except
the cession of the Chinese Eastern
railroad, are settled in the five ar,
ticles already considered. Some con
fusion has arisen about those articles
and the following resume Fan be ac
cepted as absolutely accurate:
l. Recognition of Japan's 'prepon
derating influence" in Korea, etc.
2. Mutual obligation to evacuate
Manchuria, Russia to retrocede tt
China all special privileges, etc.
3. japanese obligation TO restor,
the sovereignty and administration
OF China in Manchuria.
4. Mutual obligations to respect tn,
territorial and administrative integ
rity of China and the principle of tn,
'open door"
6. The surrender of the Russian
leases to the Lao Tung peninsula, in
Guiding Port Arthur, Dalny and tn
Blonde and Elliott islands.
Questions Yet Open.
The remaining seven articles are
The cession OF Sakhalin, reimburse
ment for the cost of war; the cessiol
TO China of the Chinese Eastern raj,