Omaha daily bee., 1905-08-15
'repOndsrating Influence Of Miksdo in
Hermit Kingdom Recognised.
10TH NATIONS TO EvAcUATE RANcHURl
Chinese Eastern Railway Below Harbin to
Be Oeded TO China.
LITTLE DIFFERENCE ON THESE POINTS
Question of SRkhaIin Island VIII
Probably Come Up Today and
Rupture in Negotiations
May Result.


the peace negotiations today three OF the
twelve articles which constitute the Japa-
nese conditions Cf peace having been agreed
to by NJ Witte and Baron Rosen on behalf
of Russia, neither Of the two articles to
which NJ. Witte in his reply returned an
absolute negative was reached The crisis.
therefore, is sull to come. II may he
reached tomorrow, as the cession of SAX
halin comes tfth in the list. The three ar
ticles as they are officially designated in
the brief communications authorized to be
given to the press, which were disposed of
today are in substance as follows:
First-Russia' recognition Of Japan,s
''preponderatug influence and special post
tion in Corea, which Russia henceforth
agrees is outside its sphere of influence,
Japan binding itself to recognize the SOW
ereignty of the reignng family, but with
the right to give auvlCc ana assistance to
improve the civil administration of the
seoond-Mutual obligation to evacuate
ManChuria, each to surrender all special
privileges In that province, mutual obliga-
tion to respect the territorial integrity OF
China and to maintain the principle OF
equal opportunity for the commerce and
industry of all nations in that province
(open door.
rhird-The cesson to China of the Chi
nese Eastern railroad from Harbin south
ward.
Future status of Railroad.
acceptance on the part of NJ witte of these
articles" the first two covering in more
emphatic form the contention of Japan in
the diplomatic struggle which preceded hos
tilities The third is a natural consequence
of the result Of war. The cession Of the
railroad, the building Of which cost Russia
an immense sum, estimated by some at be-
tween SlOO.OOOOOO and 500 900 900 is to China.
Japan and China, therefore, will arrange
between themselves the method by which
the former is to be remunerated, and
through this financial operation Japan
might have a very considerable portion OF
its claim for the expenses OF the war liqui-
dated. The railroad is ostensibly the prop
erty OF the Russian Chinese bank, although
built by government money advanced
through the bank, and since it's completion
operated, managed and poloed by the Rus
| sian government. Japan cannot take the
! railroad itself To place itself in Russia's
! shoes regarding the railroad would be mil
! itarily to control the destinies of the three
/ provinces of Manchuria, which 1t has prom
| ised to return to China. But Japan is en-
| titled TO reimbursement for the expense to
| which 1t has been put in restoring the
railroad below the present position of Line
vitCh's army, rebuilding the bridges and
! narrowing the gauge. II China could not
/
| ers might do so, and the road would be-
| come hypothecated to the powers which ad-
vanced the money as other Chinese roads
| are to those which advanced the money
for their construction. 1t was NJ. Witte
himself who organized the Russo-Chinese
bank in 1895, and who has always been con-
sldered the real organizer of the Chinese
! Eastern company. NJ Berg. the attorney
of the Russo Chinese bank, which owns
practically all. If not all, of the shares Of
the road, is attached to the Russian mis-
sion.
Both Sessions AmicabIe.
Both sessions Of the conference today are
described as "amicable." There were sew
eral slight Jars but none OF them serious.
The plenipotentares are showing admir-
able temper The change in the weather
may be partially responsible for the Sc
renity manifested at the conference table,
but it would be perhaps too much to say
that the fate Of such a gigantic nego-
tiation had been effected by a few de-
grees of temperature and a few thousand
mosquitoes.
Tomorrow in the ordinary course of pro-
ceedings the first great stumbling block
| 10 a treaty of peace should be reached, as
after Port Arthur and the leases of Lao
Tung, which are included In article four
pared with slight notifications to accept
comes article five-the cession of Sakhalin
But it is by no means certain that when
| this obstacle Is reached IL will not be
postponed until all the articles upon which
| agreement is easy or possible are dis
posed Of II this course Is allowed. and the
Associated Press has nigh authority for
the opinion that it will be, It will indi
cate a disposition to put on the real strug
gle to the very last, and the longer the
. conference endures the brighter the pros
poets of a treaty are likely TO become
, Every day they sit" said very high
authority, increases the chances OF peace
sato H. OptImistIc.
Mr. Sato told the Associated Press cor
respondent tonight that he had come I,
Portsmouth hopeful OF successful issu,
of the negotiations and that nothing hac
occurred to alter his optimism.
The language OF the three articles
% adopted today will form practically IN
e text of the treaty Of Washington" II on
10 is signed, subject, Of course. 10 a hna
y revision. Each side has agreed 10 tn
, articles and they are Included In the pro
+ tocols Of each days session which ar
d officially signed by the plenipotentiarie
y | the next morning.
n In addition TO the minutes kept by eac
= side, there is an abbreviated record OF tn
o discussions giving the arguments made b
Is each side on every point. which are dali
attested so that when the conference
ended the record Of the proceedings wi
i be complete OF course, the agreemen
" article by article. does not bind elthe
" Russia or Japan until a final agreemen
p Is reached and the treaty is signed
a 1t is. however significant that Mr.. satC
while specifically stating that he did nc
N speak officially, gave II as his opinio
~ that each power had now bound Itself t
the articles agreed TO.
Russians Claim One Victory.
" In the discussion Of the second articl
covering the evacuation OF Manchuria)
is positively stated that Russia won a vi,
m tory. Baron Komura. so IL is declare,