The semi-weekly messenger., 1905-04-04
Ghe Mrssruwrr.
PEACE NEGOTIATIONS.

forts are being made in some quarters
to bring about peace between Russia
and Japan. While the United States
and the chief powers of Europe stand
ready to do any thing they can to
terminate hostilities, France seems to
be the only one which has taken any
steps to that end. This is natural
as she is a close ally and friend Of Rus
sia. If peace proposals come through
a third power it will be France who
will make them. While the other na-
tons stand ready to assist in any way,
they do not feel that they can with
propriety take the initiative. In fact
most of them prefer that the negotia
tions should be carried on directly BE-
tween the two principals.
While Russian officials deny that
they have made any proposals to Ja-
pan, it is we'll understood that she has
made known to France what diplomats
call the negative conditions on which
she would negotiate peace, leaving the
intermediary to notify these conditions
on its own responsibility to Japan.
This manner of proceeding would
shield Russia from the humiliation OF
suing for peace and from the embar-
rassment of having her proposals re-
jected by Japan.
That Japan will reject a PROPOSE
ton to negotiate terms based on Rus
sia's conditions of no indemnity and
no cession of territory cannot be
doubted for moment 1t has al
ready been stated that she will insis.
upon an indemnity of eight hundred
million dollars and Oh the further stin.
uIation on Russia's part that the latter
will not add to the strength of her
navy for a certain number of years.
Japan will probably insist also upon
Port Arthur passing into her. own
hands or be occupied by China or
some other neutral power, and it may
be that, should Japan continue her
success against the Russian forces in
Manchuria, VladivostOck will be in.
cluded in the territory over which
Russia must relinquish control either
permanently or for a certain period
AS to demanding indemnity, Japan is
simply following the precedents III
such cases, the most noted one of re,
cent years being that which France
was forced to pay to Germany at the
close of the war in 1871.
AS to the stipulatiOns regarding the
Russian feet and possession of tna
fortified ports on the north Pacific,
Japan would be inviting renewal OF
war with Russia just as soon as the
latter could recuperate from her pres
ent defeat if she did not insist on
some such stipulations.
Japan prefers to treat directly with
Russia and she will hardly take any
more notice of an intimation from
France that Russia is ready to nego-
tate a peace based on the negative
propositions above mentioned than to
declare that such proposal cannot be
considered by her. Russia is hardly
i'm earnest in making such proposal.
She is playing for time, just as she
did during the period of negotiating
with Japan prior to beginning of hos
tilities. Then she kept putting the
Japanese off, all the time making
strenuous exertions to be ready tc
meet her enemy on equal terms when
the inevitable war should begin. She
is now continuing war preparations
while France is making a show o:
trying to bring about peace.
Unless Japan's armies meet serious
reverses, delay in hostilities only adds
to the burden Japan will feel justified
in placing upon her as the price of
peace.
In the meantime conditions are &C
ing from bad to worse with the Rus
slams. The spirit of rebellion and rev
Olution is spreading rapidly in the
provinces. LawleSSneSs is on the In.
crease. The people are ready for a
general uprising as soon as OpportuE-
ity occurs. They would consider Al
other defeat of the army in Manchu
ria such as that of the battle of Muck.
den as the Opportune time. Already
in some localities the police and so.
diers combined are powerleSs to pre-
vent mob violence. No high official in
the capital or in any other section OF
the empire is safe from attack of The
bOmbthrOwer. At the seat of wal
there are indications that the japanese
forces are performing strategic ma
neuvers which, if successful, will re-
suit in another disaster to the Rus
sian army.