The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-06-15
WASHINGTON.
From our Regular Correspondent.

ID. c., June 8, 1905
The dove Of peace has respou ded
to the overtures of the war for in
the White House, if apparently au.
thentic, although unofficial. reports
from ST. Petersburg are to be be-
lieved. Just at time when it was
feared that the efforts of the Presi-
dent to bring about an understand
ing between Russia and Japan
would come to naught, when the
reply to the Presidents representa-
tions made through the Russian
Ambassador to Washington has
been long deferred the American
Ambassador to St. Petersburg was
summoned late at night to the Rus
sian Foreign Office and there in
formed that the Emperor would
grant him an audience on the fol-
lowing day. Ambassador Meyer
expressed his qualification at this
unexpected summons and the fol-
lowing day donned his uniform and
proceeded to the Peterhof Palace
where he had somewhat extended
conference with the Gar. Just
what took place at the conference
is not known but no sooner had it
ended than orders were issued to
the Russian Ambassador at Wash
ington and Paris to ascertain as
soon as possible the terms on which
Japan would consent to make peace.
Precisely how much the President
had to do with all this may never
be known and it is barely possible
that the French bankers who refus-
ed to loan Russia any more money
think they did their part in the in
terest of peace, but that the Presi-
dent has been influential cannot be
doubted.
XIX
The diplomatic negotiations and
the possibility of Russia's accepting
the mediation of President Roose-
velt in the settlement of her diff
culties with Japan have monopoliz-
ed public interest in Washington
during the past week, to the partial
exclusion of other matters. 1t has
been made entirely clear that the
President, in his now famous con-
ference with Count Cassini, the
Russian Ambassador, reminded
that diplomat that his offer to act
as "the great and good friend" of
both belligerents still held good
and then pointed out, in the plain
language characteristic of the Chief
Executive, that the time had arriv-
ed when Russia might we'll sue for
peace as further fighting would only
make terms demanded by Japan
the more humiliating. Count Cas-
sini forwarded 10 Russia detailed
account of his interview with the
President.
~.
1t was regarded as entirely posi-
BILE that decision of the President
with regard to the three Russian
cruisers which sought refuge in
Manila harbor would detract from
the popularity of the United States
in St Petersburg and that, togeth-
er with the obvious sympathy Of
the American people for the Japan
ese, it would prove sufficient to lead
the Car to look elsewhere for an
intermediary, even should he de-
termine upon seeking peace. In
order to render the decision which
required that the Russian cruisers
under Admiral Enquist should
either leave Manila within twenty
four hours or be interned there for
the remainder of the war it became
necessary for this country to elabo-
rate the construction of the inter-
national law controlling the action
of neutrals and by the Presidents
decision new precedent has been
established. The law, accepted as
just by all nations, provided that
the ships of belligerents seeking re-
fuge in neutral harbors may make
such repairs as are necessary to en-
able them to reach their nearest
home port. The United States has
now decided, however, that the in
tent of the law applies to the re-
pairs only of damages incurred from
accident and cannot be construed as
to apply to damages incurred in
battle. 1t is claimed that were the
latter construction admitted every
neutral port in the vicinity of ma
val battle would Immediately be-
Beware of 0intments for Uatarrh that