The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1905-09-01
NOPEACE CERTAINTY
RUSSIA REFUSES TO ACCEDE TO
ROOSEVEL1'S IDEAS.
Session of Peace ENJOYS Held a Very
Exclusive Meeting Last Saturday,
1t Is Believed that Russia Will Buy
Back Sakhalin Isiand-Japanese Are
Growing Impatient of Delays.

Oyster Bay. Aug. 27-Russia has
refused finally to accede to President
Roosevelt's proposition looking to an
agreement of peace.
Portsmouth, N. H., Aug. 27.-There
! was no rupture in the peace negotia-
tons Saturday. Peace is by no means
assured, but an important crisis has
been tided over and the fact that the
life of the conference has been pro-
lOnged into this week adds materially
to the chances of a favorable issue.
According to the Russian version it
was Japan and not Russia which
weakened Saturday afternoon M
White publicly announced after the
sitting that it was Baron kOmura who
asked for an adjournment until Mon
day in order to have time to submit a
new proposition. Yet it is known that
M. Witte has received instructions,
sent after the presidents intercession
at 'Peterhof through Ambassador Mey-
er, to agree to the division of Sakha-
lin and to permit liberal compensation
for the Russian prisoners of war and
the ceSSiOn of the Chinese eastern rail-
road, but to continue absolutely to re-
fuse to pay war tribute under any
guise. This was described as Rus
sia's "ultimatum," leaving over the
same old question of money, the
stumbling block to an agreement
But no adequate account of the pro-
ceedings at Saturdays meeting is
Forthcoming. The plenipotentiaries
by agreement, excluded the secreta-
ries. There were no minutes There
is no record. This in itself is ex-
tremely significant. When men who
are fighting desperate battle lock
themselves in room alone, it is the
best evidence that they are terribly in
earnest. 1t is a hopeful sign. All that
is formally announced is that. the min
utes of the last session were approved,
and upon Baron KOmura's motion the
conference adjourned until Monday at
3 o'clock, but, whether or not the
counter proposition of Russia was sub
mitted at the afternoons session, it
seems to be up to Japan" to formally
renounce her demand for the phrase
de guerre, and try to obtain a partial
recOmpense in another way-for in
stance, by a bona fide sale of the
northern half of Sakhalin. Emperor
Nicholas. reply to Ambassador Meyer
and his instructions to M. Witte are
remarked as his last word so far as
indemnity is concerned. Compromise
by which Japan can secure a compar-
atively moderate sum of money is still
open.
But the gulf to be spanned is still
wide between the two adversaries.
Russia now is willing to divide SAX
hahn. Japan, on Wednesday, claimed
the entire island by right of occupa-
northern half at the price of the cost
of the war" And it should be borne
in mind that the elimination of arti-
cles 10 and IL surrender of Russian
interned warships and limitation of
Russian sea power) was conditional
upon her acceptance of this PROPOSE
ton. Baron Komura and Mr.. Taxa
hira want time to consult their gov
eminent before agreeing to yield fur
Their. The most competent Japanese
authority says:
'The question of peace or war still
hangs in the balance"
For the first time there appears to
be some dissension in the Japanese
camp as to the ACCESSIBILITY of making
another conciliatory step. Many of
the attaches are strongly of the opin-
ion that they should not recede an
other inch.