The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1905-08-31
Meeting of the Peace Conference
at Portsmouth Has Been Post.
poRed For q Few Daya
WAITING FOR NEWS FROM TOXIC.
This Arrangement Was Made Between
Mr.. Takahara and N. Witte at q
Meeting Sunday Night.
The Real Crisis In the Peace Neeotia
tions Is at Hand and To Save
the Situation Now Japan
Must Speak.

Portsmouth, N. H., Aug. 24..-The
Japanese plenipotentiaries at the con.
clusion of the afternoon session Wed.
nesday of the peace conference threw
the cards upon the table. It was the
dramatic moment--the moment IN
which all the previous proceedings OF
the conference had led.
Mr.. Witte sat silent and the move
IN the great diplomatic game passed
to Japan. Baron Komura, in a few
words. explained that Japan. in her
great desire for peace. was ready -
make certain notifications" Of tho
original articles In the hope that Rus.
sia would find 1t possible to accept
them. He then presented In writing
to Mr.. Witte the compromise proposi.
tion which President Roosevelt had
suggested.
1t offered to withdraw article 9, pro.
vding for the payment by Russia Of
Japan's bill for the cost of the war. on
condition that Russia would accep.
article 5, which provides for the ces.
sion of the Island of Sakhalin. 50 mod.
iiied as to include an arrangement for
the re-purchase by Russia of the north.
ern half of the island for 100000 coo
yen. In addition 1t offered to with.
draw entirely articles II and ~ (snr.
render Of the interned warships and
limitation upon Russia's sea power in
the far east).
Without a moments hesitation Mr..
Witte said he could not accept It.
Portsmouth, N. H., Aug. 25-At II
o'clock Thursday night six cablegrams
had been received by Mr. Witte from
st. Petersburg. All came from Count
Lamsdorff and all were opposed to the
Japanese compromise proposition az
presented at Wednesdays meeting.
However. II is stated that the cable
grams announce that the direct pour
parlers are now In progress between
Emperor Nicholas and the president
Oyster Bay, N. Y. Aug. 25.-A crisis
In the peace negotiations is approach
ing rapidly. Whether there Is to be
peace between Russia and Japan, or q
continuance OF the war will be deter
mined very likely within a few days.
Since he made his direct appeal to
Emperor Nicholas, President Roosevelt
has been awaiting developments, hope
full that such efforts as he has felt
proper to make to avert a failure of
the Washington conference might not
be futile.
II is quite certain now that, in add. |
ton to making a direct appeal to the
Russian emperor to take such meas. |
ures as may bring the pending nego.
tlations to a successful ISSUE Presi. |
dent Roosevelt has communicated with |
the Japanese government along simi- |
lar lines. Whether that appeal was
made directly to the emperor of ia
pan, as in the case of Emperor Nicho-
Las, can not be ascertained.
Portsmouth, N. H., Aug ga press |
representative is permitted to an.
nounce that Emperor Nicholas answer
to President Roosevelt's latest appeal
was partially responsive.
. The peace conference seems headed
straight for the rocks, despite the fact |
that every question OF principle In.
voived in the quarrel between the two
has been settled in favor of
the victor and that In reality only |
words and money" still separate
them, the pegotiations seem on the
verge Of Anal rupture. The air was
Allied Friday night with gloomy fore
as superncially everything In
dicated that Saturdays session Of the
conference will prove the "seance
d'adieu."
Portsmouth. N. H.. Aug. 2S.-Ths
life OF the peace conference Sunday
seemed to lrang by thread. but tho
thread will not be broken Monday. At
10 O'Clock Sunday night, after two
hours conference between Mr.. Taxa
Aira and Mr.. Wltte. In the latter's
room In the hotel annex. the announce
ment Of a postponement was made.
Mr. Witte explained that Mr. Takahira
had told him that no new Instructions
had reached him from Toxic, and fear
fng none might be received before tho
meeting scheduled for Monday after
noon he had suggested the proprietY
OF postponlng the meeting until Tues
day To this Mr.. Witte said he read.
lily assented. Mr.. Takahira made the
following statement:
"Inasmuch as this conference was
initiated by the friendly Offices OF the
president, after consultation we felt
that we should be cautious about ter
minating its labors."
Pressed as to whether he regarded
the situation as hopeless, Mr.. Taxa
hira said:
mo; not hopeless. but almost hope.
less"
This itself from one who has spo-
Ken always In the most guarded fash
ion, Is suficient to show the desper-
ateness of the situation. The real cri'
sis in negotiations Is at hand. It Ia
very acute, but II 1t can be tided over
for a few days without rupture, a
basis OF peace acceptable to both sides
may come very suddenly. But to. save
the situation now. Japan must speak
II on Tuesday she has nothing to Of
Ger, all is ever.
Wealthy Man Joins the Army.
1t. Louis, Aug. 2S.-Glenn w. Ar
neIu, OF Fairmont. w. Va, who wal
recruited In the regular army In Wes
virginia. has arrived at jefferson bar
vacka for assignment to q company