The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser., 1905-06-16
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER
(From Our Regular Correspondent

VI Ibul ouI hcSuidi SOI IiCSPohuOh1
Mr.. EDTToR:-PresidentR Roosevelt has
startled the diplom attic world by his frank
identical note to Russia and Japan in
which he expresses, in terms, regarded as
extraordinarily forcefu for tA4sfanguage
of diplomacy, his urgent desire that peace
between the belligerents may be speedily
accomplished. 1t is generally assumed
that the President, as result of his ex-
tensive communications with both the
Gar and the Mikado, conducted through
the United States Ambassador to St. Pet
ersburg and the japanese Minister to
Washington, was assured that such an ap-
peal would be welcomed by both nations.
In fact 70 other hypothesis would &C
count for the publication of the precise
language Of the appeal.
"The President feels that the time has
come when in the interest of all mankind
he must endeavor to see if it is not pos
sible to bring to an end the terrible and
lamentable conflict now being waged,"
saws the President and further along he
says, ''The President accordingly urges
the Russian and japanese Governments
not only for their own sakes, but in the
interest of the whole civilized world, to
open direct negotiations for peace with
one another" While the note is not ex
ceptionally emphatic for the President, ii
is remarked that in diplomatic parlance
the expression s'urge" is particularly
strong and would ordinarily he replaced
by such an expression as "hopes for'' etc.
The effort of the President to secure
direct negotiations rather than further to
act as int termediary will prove relief to
many who have watched the negotiations
with no little anxiety fearing that Japan
at least would look to the United States
| to insure good faith on the part of Rus
sia, an insurance which the President
would assuredly be powerless to give; es
pecially without the sanction of Congress.
If the beligerents ac. upon the Presidents
appeal there will undeniably be added an
other triumph to the administration of
| Theodore Roosevelt.
The Moroccan situation is beginning to
attract considerable attention, although
somewhat oversha dowed by the peace
negotiations. Germany has issued an in
vitation to all the powers signatory to the
Convention of Madrid negotiated in 1880,
to attend an international conference to
take steps to preserve the open door in
Morocco and as the United States signed
that convention it is invited to the new
conference Moreover it is intimated that
| President Roosevelt intends to send a
representative to this conference, al
though by SO doing he would run the ris k
of seriously offending both Great Britain
and France, especially the latter. 1t will
be remembered that France and Great
Britain negotiated a treaty whereby the
former guaranteed the open door in Mo-
rocco for thirty years and when the treaty
! had been duly signed its contents were
communicated to Germany. Immediate
", or almost so, Emperor William made
his plans to go to the Mediterranean and
touch at Morocco. While there or soon
after he had been there and as sequel to
his visit to Sultan rejected the proposals
of the French foreign Minister M. Del
casse. Now the Emperor calls an inter
national conference to undo the work OF
France and Great Britain and do it over
again along lines that will give Germany
a hand in the affair. With all this the
United States is, of course, little concern
ed, but it is matter of regret to conser-
vative statesmen that the President should
entangle this country in the affair. The
plea on which the President will act will
be the protection of the foreign trade in
terests of this country, but as the United
states sold to Morocco during the last ~fs-
cal year less than 81 900 worth Of goods
the plea is obviously somewhat specious
Considerable interest is manifested in
what is termed here the peaceful revolu-
ton of Norway against the rule of Swed
en-. The particular interest which at
taches in Washington being due to the
fact that it has resulted in the return of
Minister Grip who was popular in the
national capital. Minister Grip is a Nor
wegian and will, it is supposed, resign
from the diplomatic service of Sweden
when he returns to the Swedish capital.
| The outcome of the revolution is also
| looked for with interest especially az it
seems possible that Norway may estab'
lish republic following the lines of the
United States, but it is hoped with some
modern improvements.
Arrangements are practically complete
for the trip of Secretary Taft to the Phil
ippines and it is regarded as noteworthy
that few members of Congress of any par
ticular standing, especially in the Repub-
lican party, will make the journey. There
are few of the more prominent Demo-
Gratis, but the leading Republicans in both
houses of Congress are conspicuous by
their absence. The reason of this is not
easily explained, although it is said that
the older men in both parties regard the
trip as too expensive and arduous to per
NIT of their undertaking it.
If the judgment Of prominent Republi
cans is<to be accepted the President has
NEur-ap the white flag before the assaults
of the stand patters and vii! not call Con-
I "