Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1905-08-23
1t Now Looks Like An Agreement On
Terms Will Be Impossible
AN ADJOURNMENT UNTIL TUESDAY
Fate of the Peace Conference is Re-
garded by Most at Portsmouth as
Virtually Sealed, and it is Expected
That the Adjournment Taken to
Tuesday Means Merely an Ex-
change of Fare&ells.

Portsmouth, N. eH., Special-Black
pessimism reigns at Portsmouth. The
prevailing view is that the fate of the
peace conference is already sealed
that it has ended in failure and that
all that now remains is for the plea-
lpotentiarieS to meet Tuesday, to
which day they adjourned Friday af
te1noon upon completing the seriatim
consideration of the Japanese terms,
sign the final protocol, go through the
conventions and bid each other fare
well In other words, that the meet
ing Tuesday will be what diplomacy
calls the "seance d'adieu." But there
is still room for hope of Il com promise.
Neither Roosevelt nor the powers
will see the chance of peace ship
wrecked without a final effort. and that
pressure is being exerted, especially
at Toxic, TO induce Japan to moderate
her terms, is beyond question Just
what is being done or is to be cone,
has not transpired. King Edward is
understood to be now lendin:, 4 nclp.
ing hand the financiers of the world are
known to be exerting all their intu-
ences. At Toxic and St Petersburg
the final issue will be decided. The
Japanese have been implacable
throughout the six days sittings. They
nave listened and explained but they
nave yielded not an iota OF the sup
stance of their original demands. Mr.
Witte accepted outright seven of the
twelve Japanese conditions. one in
principle and four, including the main
issues. indemnity and Sakhalin. he Ie-
jected. The other two, limitation of
naval power and the surrender of the
1nterned warships, might have been
arranged had there been any prospect
of agreement on the two points upon
which the digergence seemed irrecon-
cilable.
In the oral discussion of the terms.
Mr.. Witte yielded upon two articles.
but substantially the result of the
thirteen sittingS of the envoyS has
only been TO emphasize the position
taken by Mr.. Witte in the written
reply he presented last Saturday to
the Japanese terms. And now both
sides turn to home for the last word
before the cards are thrown face up
ward upon the table next Tuesday, for
the impasse reached Friday by the
90, ol pezlu5oo9I S! seuepu9lodIu9Id
only diplomatic fiction. If in the
interim istructions are received by
either side compromise is yet possible
But the chances are recognized to be
slim. So far as the Russian plenipo-
tentiaries are concerned there never
was chance of heir yielding both in
demnity and Sakhalin. The cession of
Sakhaln without indemnity was, ac-
cording to the best inside information
the extreme limit to which Mr. Witte
would ever consent to go and the EN-
peror has not yet given the word even
to concede that And suddenly a new
factor has been introduced which. in the
opinion of those most competent to
judge, lessons materially the chances
that he might do so. namely, the issu-
ance of his manifesto granting a popu-
lar representative body of his subjects
The bearings of this historic docu-
ment, as Mr.. Witte described 1t a few
days ago, upon the issue are easily com
prehensible. Ii is bound to amelorate
the internal situation in Russia.
The manifesto is Emperor Nicholas
answer to the Japanese demand for the
payment of war tribute The grant
of this broad reform is regarded as vir-
Shaiiy dpptui 10 Ile RUSSIAN DpO-
pie Cor support to resist il.
AT Toxic il is impossible to tell what
v.ow will be taken. Peace probably
can be even now secured by the sacri-
flee of the indemnity Vague intimations
tonight come from the japanese side
that the demand for the cost of the
war might be moderated. but Mr..
Whites reply is that he will pay lib
orally for the maintenance of the Rus
sian prisoners in Japan, but mot \ CO.
peck for tribute"
Tonight the situation can be summed
UP in a single sentence-prompt and
heroic action by outside influence alone
can save the conference.
Portsmouth, n. H.. Special.-Tho
prospects for peace are distinctly
brighter. The plenipotcntiarics are
laboring with seriousness and ear
nestness which leaves not the slight.
est doubt that both are anxious TO
conclude a treaty. Though the main
points remain to be contested and the
plenipotentiaries of each side speak as
though the conference would go to
pieces unless the other side gives way,
the spirit of compromise is in the air.
When he returned to the hotel We'd
nesday night, Mr.. Witte, who was
tired out with his hard days work,
said:
Il am doing all can for peace. or
the eight articles we have already con-
sidered. have yielded seven. No
other statesman in Russia would have
dared TO do 50 much. and have done
what l have on my own responsible
Nv