The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-09-04
Japanese Prove Great SticNers
 for Certain Words
KOMURA WAS REMOVABLE
Witte Was Much better in Argument But the Willy Jap Seldom AL lowed Himself to be Led
 Astray.

Portsmouth. N IT.. September 3-After being treated to every variety of wealth CT. the peace conference promises to end In the midst of 8 raging northeaster. Since last night 1t has been blowing A gale accompanied by torrents of rain. According to local traditions, such north casters continue for three days, so that 1t will probably last over the day on which the treaty is signed.
 The plenpotentiaries and attaches of the two missions seem to be fully as anxious for the curtain to ring down on the final act of the drama as the little colony of newspaper correspondents and summer guests who are waiting to be ''in at the death"
 Treaty Is Reing Enerossed.
 The work of expressing the treaty has already begun, MT. Rojestvensky doing the ealigraphic work of the French and Mir Adashi of the -lnglish text. Contro- versies over the phraseology still con- tlnue and there were several conferences today between Mir. De Martens and MT. Dennison, differences being referred fou adjustment to the principals. The Japa- nese are proving great sticslers for words. They cling tenaeously to their ideas. Careful preparation and methods have been the secret of their successes on land and sea. and in their diplomatic struggles at Portsmouth the same quail ties have been displayed.
 In the slttings of the conference Baron Komura always stated the Japanese posi- ton upon a given point briefly, but with great care and when M. Witte. whose method was entirely different. would try to draw out explanations, he would stick doggedly to the statement he had made M. Witte man of affairs and talented as he Is admitted to be-. had his case in his head. He never brought any papers with him He met everything which came up in an official way, weighing it instantly in his mind. and stating his view quite bluntly, never asking for time to consider
 komura Would Not Agree.
 Baron Komura, on the other hand, could only with difficulty be led into tho region of argument. He stuck to the brief before him. Speaking always quite slowly he repeated over and again what he had stated as if he had learned his lesson by rote Several times M. Witte would say:
 cS, 1 unueISlHnu ptTletlly WHdt yOu say. but what do you mean; what is the object?"
 Then Baron Komura would go back and restate his proposition almost exactly as he had done originally. Both systems had their advantages. By insisting, in- sisting, insisting, Baron Komura would some times catch M. Witte off his guard were always eagerly seized upon As a final resort Baron Komura was always ready with written solution of ques- ton. and would produce 1t suddenly. say ing
 This is what we propose What have you got to offer?''
 Seldom Had Counter Proposition.
 Then the value of preparation and fore- sightedness was apparent. M. Witte sel- dom had a crystalized counter proposi- ton to make. But on the other hand, when M Witte succeeded In leading his adversary into the realm of argument where previous preparation availed noth- ing. he had Baron Komura at dlsad- vantage One of those present likened Baron Komura to d horse in "blinkers''-- as long as he was on the beaten road with his work cut out ahead of him, he got along swlmmingly, but the instant he was off the road Into the woods with the "blinkers' removed, he appeared to be confused and lost, and hastened back as speedily as possible to the road he had mentally traversed so often, and with every foot of which he was familiar.
 Wltte is Impatient.
 Now when the Japanese are still con- tlnuing their policy of insistence upon words or phrases, M Witte Is showing considerable impatience. He is extremely anxious to have the treaty finished, and signed at the earliest moment to preclude the possibility of pressure from the home government upon minor points.
 Especially at St. Petersburg there is constant danger that instructions at the last moment may come to try to get this concession, or that concession, and thus bring only diplomatic discussions which indefinitely might prolong the negotia- lions.
 One of the attaches illustrated the posi- tion of the home government by telling the story of the man who had asked from tailor sack suit He was satisfied with a sack suit until he returned with some friends to tryon the coat. It was only when they suggested that a frock coat would have been more suitable, that the man grew discontented.
 We don't want that to arise" said the attache. "The plenipotentiaries are the tailors and if their friends at home ob- Ject now, they can only say you should have thought of a tall coat before the cloth for the tails was out off"
 Will Protect Private Rights.
 One of the articles in the treaty pro- vides for the protection of private rights and property acquired under Russian con trol in southern Sakhalin, and in Dalny, Port Arthur and other places in the Liao Tung peninsula. The Russian govern ment has had innulnerabie petitions on this subject. Several of them are from Americans who held concessions in south ern Sakhalin While u full synopsis of the treaty will be cabled to the govern ments of the two countries. the actual text will not be known at Tokio or St. Petersburg until the plenipotentiaries ar rive. It Is expected that to cable such a long document textually, would mako It possible for an expert later when the text becomes public to work out the gov- ernment cipher.
 Will Personally Convey Texts.
 M. Witte will personally convey the text to St. Petersburg and Baron Komura