Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1905-07-15
His Appointment VIII Inspire Confidence
in Russian Intentions.
AR YIELDS ONLY TO STRONG PRESSURE
Appointment Urged by Influences in Favor
of Ending Conflict
AWsOoRFF AND wlTTE CLOSELY ALLIED
omcial Notice of Change in Persons
mel of Delegation Says IL
Was Due to Illness
of MuravieR.

ST. PETERSBURG. July l4.--M. Whites
appointment as chief Russian peace plen-
lpotenuary was announced today IN the
Ohhcial Messenger in the following words:
Owing to the serious illness which over
TOOK Al. Muravien on his arrival in St. Pet
ersourg which made II impossible for him
TO familiarise himself at short notice with
the considerable material connected with
the negotiations, his majesty the emperor
has been pleased to appoint President OF the
committee Of Ministers White to post of
chief plenipotentiary
Spontaneously all the parties recognize that
M. Whites selection makes for a successful
termination Of the peace negotiations The
mere fact that the emperor at last yielded
to the pressure for Whites appointment is
accepted as being a complete assurance
| that his majesty is sincerely determined to
end the conflict and make peace II a pos
sible basis is obtainable. Every influence
which championed NJ. witte was for peace
while the contrary in every instance
those who opposed him were To-. a pro-
| longation Of the struggle. France. through
Ambassador Needlloff, strongly urged him
for the post, but the main credit for NJ
Whites selection belongs to Foreign Mini
ster Lamsdorff, who never ceased to press
for his selection.
WItte and LamsdOrR Allied.
Count Lamsdorff and NJ. Wltte are now
Nj.
retires from the ministry of the interior
| all the ministers will at least be in har-
mony. especially should Prince sviatopolk-
Mrsky, as rumor today intimates, return to
the head of the ministry of the interior.
The papers here generally were not aware
last night that NJ. witte's appointment
was an accomplished fact. but with one
voice those in the secret hail his selection
with intense satisfaction. Even the Novoe
| Vreyma, which has not believed that an
honorable peace Is possible seems willing
| to trust the issue in NJ. Whites hands.
The st. Petersburg Gazette dwells espec-
tally upon the confidence with which his
appointment will inspire the Toxic govern
ment where NJ. Whites opposition TO the
whole policy Of commercial and military
| adveture in Manehuria and Corea is we'll
known. The paper reviews his steady
struggle against the influences which pre-
| cipitated the war and moreover points out
| that NJ. Whites selection insures harmony
among the Russian plenipotentiaries and
delegates, as Baron Rosen shares M.
Whites views and NJ. Pokotiloft and NJ.
Shipoff were trained under him while no
was minister OF finance and belong dis
| tinctively to the Witte school. In con-
clusion, the st. Petersburg Gazette says:
There is nothing important during
the negotiations as complete unity Of opin-
ion"
NJ Muravieff has already departed from
| Rome to resume his post as ambassador.
COnfers with the Gear.
NJ. Witte had a prolonged audience Of
| the emperor at Peterhof this afternoon, at
which the whole subject of the peace nego-
tiatlons was gone over In detail. The difi-
culties of the situation were freely dis
cussed and indications were given that his
majesty is more apt personally to govern
NJ Whites course than the formal instruc-
tions which have been given him.
NJ Witte will leave st. Petersburg next
Wednesday for Paris sailing. as previously
announced, from Gherbourg July % on the
North German Lloyd steamer Kaiser VIII
helm de Crosse. Nine. Witte will accom-
pany her husband as far as Paris, where
she will remain for the present, though
she may possibly Join NJ. Witte later in
the United States.
At NJ. Whites personal solicitation NJ
Korotovitz, one OF the ablest young diplo-
mats who formerly was secretary Of the
Russian legation at Picking, will be attached
to the Russian mission.
Japan May Demand saIxhalin.
Prices rose on the Bourse upon the inn
provement in Russian securities abroad due
to NJ. Whites appointment as chief peace
plenipotentiary.
According 10 information received here
Japan intends TO claim the island Of SAX
halin by right OF conquest and its formal
cession will be one Of its unalterable de-
mands.
The government has issued another 5000
900 in paper roubles, the whole outstanding
paper obligations being s4s5 10000. agalnsa
S547, ,OOO, 600 in gold.
RumOr of FrictiOn.
July 15.-2:2O a. MN. Witte, after hiu
audience of the emperor at Peterhof, re-
turned last evening TO st. Petersburg and
drove directly to the Foreign ONCE, where
he was coseted for three hours with For
eign Minister Lamsdorff
sensational report was current early
this morning that NJ. witte might not go
70 Washington after all According TO the
story his audience OF the emperor was
anything but smooth, his majesty rather
resenting NJ. Wittes plain spoken ideas
and indicating that under the eircum,
stances he would prefer that Baron Rosen
should act as chief plenipotentiary. The
emperor is even said to have intimated
that Count Lamsdorff exceeded his au-
thority in officially announcing TO the
Washington government that M. Witte
would occupy the first position.
NJ. Witte Is said 10 have left the en-
peror In an ugly frame OF mind and TO have
frankly Informed Count Lamsdorff that II
would be impossible for him 10 undertake
the mission 1t was only by the greatest
effort the story says, that the foreign
minister succeeded in persuading him not
TO fatty refuse, and the question as 70
whether he will go TO Washington is said
10 be still open.
Although the Associated Press heard this
story from a nigh parsonage its informant
was not prepared TO vouch for It, and there
is no confirmation OF II from other quarters
up 10 this hour IL is therefore sent under
great reserve. as It may prove 70 be an
invention.
OYSTER BAY. L. l., July 14.-President
Roosevelt has been notified officially by
the Russian government Of the appointment
OF NJ. Witte to the position OF principal
envoy Of Russia 10 the forthcoming Dsaos
conference.