Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1905-08-31
JAPAN WAVES QUESTION OF IN
pEMNITY AND AGREES TO
DIVIDE SAkHAliN.
RUSSIA RETAINS iNTERNED WAR
SHIPS AND AVOIDS LIMiTA-
TON OF SEA POWER.


and Russia IL ended. The terms Of
peace were settled BY M. White and
Baron komura at the session of the
conference Tuesday morning and
Tuesday afternoon preliminary ar
ransements for an armistice were con-
cluded and the actual work of framing
the treaty of Portsmouth" was by
mutual agreement turned over to M.
lie Martens, Russia's great interna-
tional lawyer, and Mr.. Dennison, who
for twenty-five years has acted as the
legal advisor of the Japanese foreign
Office.
The treaty is expected to be COM
pleted by the end Of the week
This happy conclusion OF the con-
ference. which q week ago would have
been shipwrecked had It not been for
the heroic intercession of President
Roosevelt, was sudden and dramatic.
For the sake of peace japan, with the
magnanimity OF a victor, at the last
moment yielded everything still In is
sue. Russia refused to bulge from
the ultimatum Emperor Nicholas had
given to President Roosevelt through
Ambassador Meyer. No indemnity
under any guise, but an agreement to
divide Sakhalin and reimburse Japan
for the maintenance of the Russian
prisoners we're his last words. They
had been repeatedly reiterated In M.
Whites instructions and In the form
of written reply to the Japanese
compromise proposal OF last Wednes-
day they were delivered to Baron 10
mura Tuesday morning. M. White
went to the conference declaring he
was powerless to change the dot OF
an 'i' or the cross of a It" In his In
structions. Emperor Nicholas word
had been given, not only to him but
President Roosevelt, the head OF for
sign state.
Japs Waive Disputed Points.
When Baron Komura, therefore, first
offered the new basis Of compromise
outlined In the Associated Press dis
patches Monday night (the complete
remuneration Of indemnity coupled
with proposition for the redemption
of Sakhalin at a price TO be hxed by
a mixed tribunal consisting OF repre-
sentatives of the neutral powers, in
fact II not in words the solution Of
fered by President ROOSEVELT M.
Witte again returned a non possumus.
II was what N. Witte termed In his
interview with the Associated Press
the Psychological moment NJ. Witte
did not finch. He expected rupture
and as he expressed II afterwards he
was stunned by what happened. Baron
Komura gave way on all the disputed
points. With the prescience THAI has
enabled the Japanese to gauge the
mental processes OF their adversaries
on the field OF battle and upon the sea,
they had realized In advance that
peace could be obtained In no other
way. They had warned their govern
ment. President Roosevelt had also,
It Ia believed, advised Japan that 1t
was better to meet the Russian posi-
ton than to take the responsibility Of
continuing the war for the purpose of
collecting tribute. The mikado at the
session of the cabinet and elder
statesmen Monday had sanctioned the
Anal concession When Baron Ko-
mura yielded the rest was mere
child's play.
Articles 10 and II 1nterned war
ships and the limitation of Russia's
sea power In the far East were with
drawn. japan agreed that only that
portion OF the Chinese Eastern rail-
road south Of Chantufu, the position oc-
cupied by Oyama, should be coded to
Japan. Both sides, once the deadlock
was broken. wanted "just and last
ing" peace and In that spirit II was
decided to practically neutralize SAX
hahn. each country binding itself not
to fortify It's half Of the island, and
Japan assuming an obligation not to
fortify the La Perouse strait between
sakhalin and Hokkaido, which would
bar Russias commercial route to the
Pacific.