Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-08-22
PRESIDENT HOPEFUL
But Does Not Relax His Ef- forts In Behalf of Peace.
BARON KANEKO AT OYSTER BAY.
MikadO's Confidential Agent Bearer of Important Messages to MT. Roosevelt, Whose Tenor
 Is Not Disclosed.


 OYSTER BAY, N. Y, Aug. 22.- President Roosevelt has not abandoned hope of a successful issue of the Wash ington peace conference. He has not relaxed either his efforts to prevent a rupture between the conferees.
 Events of importance succeeded each !, other rapidly here. On an early morn ing train Baron Kaneko, a confidential representative in this country of the Japanese government, arrived in Oys- ter Bay quite unexpectedly. He has a general invitation to visit the president at any time and was received as soon as he arrived at Sagamore Hill. That he was the bearer of important infor- nation is known, but the nature of his messages is not disclosed. He remain ed with the president three-quarters of an hour. At the conclusion of the con- ference the baron declined even to dis cuss his mission, although he politely expressed regret at his inability to en- tighten his interrogators.
 SulIouAutu Dy udlI d uoAcu uC" spa. per men, he talked with apparent frankness, but his words were not lu- minous with information. He fenced adroitly with his questioners, retiring on a profession of ignorance when the questions shot at him were too sharply pointed.
 He expressed the opinion, which he was careful to note was simply his own, that Japan had made every con- cessiOn in the conference that victo- rious power could be expected to make and that the Japanese people would re- sent any serious recession by the en- voys from the position they had taken.
 Following Baron Kaneko's visit Pres ident Roosevelt had his acting secre- tary, Mir. Barnes, with him for two hours. In addition to the matter which the baron had presented to him the president received and considered an accumulation of dispatches and letters. The replies to these were forwarded during the afternoon. Late in the day important dispatches were received from Portsmouth, the responses to which occupied the presidents atten- tion for considerable time.
 Not the slightest indication of the character of the correspondence was permitted to become public. The pres ident, acting as an intermediary be- tween the two warning governments, feels that secrecy is even more in- cumbent upon him than if the matter related wholly to him personally or to if any publication is made concerning the pending negotiations it must be authorized by the representatives of one of the powers in direct interest.
 The president declines either to con- firm or deny any of the statements made about the proposition which he, submitted to the Russian envoys through Baron Rosen. There is strong reason for the statement, however, that the proposition involved far more than a mere suggestion that the mat ters in difference between the envoys be submitted to the arbitrament of an impartial tribunal The statement here tofore made in these dispatches that powerful pressure, not alone from President Roosevelt, but from neutral powers of Europe, is being brought to bear upon the government of Rus sia and Japan to insure a successful issue of the conference at Portsmouth can be reiterated Whether that in. fiuence takes the form of a suggestion of a modification of Japan's terms of an insistence that Russia make the best bargain she can or of an entirely new plan to bring about an agreement cannot be ascertained.
 No concealment is made of the in. terest the president feels in the action of the conferees when they shall re- convene. No intimation even of the presidents opinion of the result of that meeting is given, but that hope of peace yet springs from the condition surrounding the conference is evident