Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1905-08-24
BLACK PEsslMlsM gEIGNs
JAPs. WILL NOT BULGE AND MR..
WHITE WILL YIELD NO
MORE POINTS.
WILL MEET TO SAY FARwELL
THE CONFERENCE ADJoURNs TO
TUESDAY, WHEN THE END
WILL PROBABLY COME.

Portsmouth, N. H., Aug. 20.-Black
pessimism reigns at Portsmouth. The
prevailing view is that the fate of the
peace conference is already sealed,
that it has ended in failure, and that
all that now remains is for the pleni-
potentiaries to meet on Tuesday. to
which day they adjourned yesterday
afternoon upon completing the
seriatim consideration of the Japan
csc terms, sign the final protocol, go
through the conventions, and bid each
other farewell. In other words that
the meeting Tuesday will be what
diplomacy calls the "seance d'adieu."
But there is still room for
Hope of Compromise.
Neither President Roosevelt nor the
powers will see the chance of peace
shipwrecked without final effort and
that pressure is being exerted espe-
cially at Toxic, to induce Japan to
moderate her terms, is beyond ques-
ton. Just what is being done or is to
be done, has not TRANSFERRED. King
Edward is understood to be now lend
ing a helping hand, and the financiers
of the world are known to be exerting
all their influence. At Toxic and st.
Petersburg the final issue will be de-
cided. The Japanese have been i'm
placable throughout the six days sit
tings. They have listened and ex-
planned, but they have yielded not an
iota of the substance of their original
demands. Mr..
White Accepted Outright
seven of the twelve Japanese condi-
lions, one in principle and four, in
and Sakhalin, he rejected. The other
two, limitation of naval power and
the surrender of interned warships,
might have been arranged had there
been any prospect of agreement on
the two points upon which the diverg-
ence seemed irreconciliable. In the
oral discussion of the terms, Mr..
White yielded upon two articles, but
subsequently the results of the thir-
teen sittings of the plenipotentiaries
has only to emphasize the position
taken by Mr.. White in the written re-
ply he presented last Saturday to the
Japanese terms. And now
Both Sides Turn to Home
for the last word before the cards are
thrown face upward upon the table
next Tuesday, for the impasse
reached yesterday by the plenipoten-
tiaries is recognized to be only dip
lomatic fiction. If, in the interim,
fresh instructions are received by
either side compromise is yet posi-
BILE. But the chances are recognized
to be slim. So far as the Russian plen-
ipotentiaries are concerned, there
never was chance Of their yielding
both indemnity and Sakhalin. The
cession of Sakhalin without indemni-
ty was, according to the best inside
information,
The Extreme Limit
To which Mr. I WIT..ttte would ever con-
sent to go, and the emperor has not
yet given the word even to concede
that. And last night suddenly new
factor was introduced which, in the
opinion Of those most competent to
judge, lessons materially the chances
that he might do so, namely, the issu-
ance of the manifesto granting pop
ular representative body to his sub
jects.> The manifesto is Emperor
Nicholas answer to the Japanese de-
.mand for the payment of a war trib-
ute. The grant of this broad reform
is regarded as virtually an appeal to
the Russian people for support to re-
sist it.
Will Be Farewell Session,
The gravity Of the situation from
the Japanese point of view is con
tanned in the following authoritative
statement given to the Associated
Press:
Il cannot say positively. because all
things are possible, but / fear that the
meeting Of Tuesday will be the fare
well session of the Washington con-
ference. Japan has done her utmost
for peace. Russia now knows Japan's
irreducible minimum"
Mr.. Witte himself last night gave
not the slightest encouragement.
sAs lHe SlludIlOH cdH De summed up IN
q single sentence prompt and heroic
action by outside Influences alone can
save the conference.
President Wires PIERCE.
AT midnight Assistant Secretary
Peireet was hnrniedly called to the.
Hotel Wentworth, where a message
was awaiting him from the president.
He Immediately wrote a lengthy reply.
Later he was called to the telegraph
instrument and for half an hour car
ried on a conversation by telegraph
with the president, who was at the
other end Of the wire at Oyster Bay:
The Associated Press has reason to
believe that the purpose of the presi-s
dents conversation with Mr.. PIERCE;
was to arrange for one Of the Rus