Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1905-08-19
PEACE PROSPECTS
ARE VERY BRIGHT
Two More Articles Disposed Of By
the Plenipotent.aries.
ERISIS WILL COME MONDAY

Articles Will BE Completed BY Sat
urday, After Which ENJOYS viii
Consult Their Governments and the
Question Of Peace VIII be Speedily
Decided.
Portsmouth, n. H., Aug. II. - The
prospects of peace are distinctly
brighter. The plenipotentiaries are
laboring with a seriousness and earn
estness which leave not the slightest
doubt that both are anxious to con-
clude treaty. Though the main
points remain to be contested and the
Observation-Disclosures OF each side speak
as though the conference would go TO
pieces unless the other side give way.
the spirit OF compromise Is In the air.
When he returned To the hotel, Mr..
Witte. who was tired out with MS
hard days work, said: Il am doing all
can do for peace. OF the eight arti'
cles we have already considered
have yielded seven. No other states
man In Russia would have dared do
so much. and have done what have
done upon my own responsibility.
From an authoritative source II Is
now possible to forecast with fair
degree OF accuracy that the crisis VIII
come on next Monday. Articles seven
and eight. dealing with the fate OF the
Chinese Eastern railroad, having been
disposed OF. there remains In addition
-. IL. all xa.lat tnt. NaFn
passed over. the question OF indem-
nifty, which comes up as article nine.
the limitation of Russia's sea power
In the Far East the surrender or the
interned warships and the grant To
Japan of fishing rights on the Littoral
north of Vladivostok.
To all except the latter. to which
/ Russia will agree. negative answer
has been returned. absolute in the case
OF indemnity and Sakhalin. Perhaps
both the others may be modified and
accepted by Mr.. Witte in order to
strengthen his position in insisting
upon concession from Japan regard
ing It's demands of an indemnity and
Sakhalin.
Before yielding on either of the lat
ter il can be regarded as practically
certain that Mr.. Witte will consult the
emperor.
The exchange of views on the five
remaining articles is expected To be
completed tomorrow or Saturday at
the latest. The plenipotentiaries will
then adjourn until Monday. and the
interim will probably be used by the
plenipotentiaries 10 consult their re-
spective governments When they
meet on Monday their last cards viii
be thrown upon the table. II there Is
to be bargaining. II will come then.
and suddenly the conference Will be
over or peace will be assured. The
plenipotentiaries will come together
with protocols drawn up to sign and
part or remain for the elaboration or
the ''treaty Of Washington"
Articles seven and eight were dis
posed OF. the former lin principle"
the latter unanimously" according TO
the official bulletins. Article seven
provides for the cession to China Of
the branch of the Chinese Eastern
railroad running south from Hardin
TO Port Arthur and Dalny. and with a
branch line connecting at Newchwang
with the Shan nHai-Kwang-T -Tientsin
road.
Article eight provides for the reten.
tion by Russia of the line through
Northern Manchuria which forms the
tt..1s ~ .f.. In. r.N
the trans. Siberian and the Usurri rail-
road with It's terminal at vladivostok
and Harlbrovsk.
The other articles agreed on are:
1-Recognition OF Japan's "prepon-
derating influence" In Korea. etc.
Mutual obligation to evacuate
Manchuria. Russia To retrocede to
China all special privileges. etc.
3-Japanese obligation to restore
the sovereignty and administration Of
China In Manchuria-
Mutual obligation TO respect the
territorial and administrative integrity
of China and the principle OF the
''open door"
6-The surrender OF the Russian
leases 10 the Liaotung peninsula. IN
Guiding Port Arthur. Dalny and the
Blonde and Elliott Islands.
From both sides the Associated
Press is informed that the acceptance
''in principle" OF article seven only
means that certain points remain to
be elaborated. not that dispute still
exists. But this may possibly be only
convenient method of postp9ning un.
Ill the final struggle the acceptance OF
an article which could be used in the
ultimate compromise. Russia by the
acceptance of these two articles, In
connection with articles two. three.
four and siS, suri)nders every vestise
OF her ambition sn Manchuria. she
closes the door D. the warm water.
ice-free port Of Dalny. upon which she
lavished her millions. and retqins only
as a commercial road the link oil the
railroad connecting her European pos.
| sessluns with the maritime proyinces