Catoctin clarion., 1905-06-15
Washington Letter.

Washington Letter.
(FRoM OUR REGULAR CoRREsPoNDENT)
Unquestionably the humane world
will applaud the direct and forcefu ap'
peal which President Roosevelt has
made in behalf of humanity and of
mankind in general in his identical note
to Russia and Japan begging them to
agree to meeting between plenipoten.
tiarles for the purpose of bringing about
a termination of the terrible and Ia
mentable coAtlict now being waged.
The Presidents note is so filled with
expressions Of good will that it could
hardly occasion ofense to the most sen.
sitive power and in view of the Obvious
we'll meaning which prevades the COM
munlcation it is unlikely that either of
the powers addressed would care to ex.
hibit itself before the world as resent
ing the address Of so excellent friend.
1t is generally assumed by the diplo.
mats in Washington that the President.
az a result of the close relations which.
through Ambassador Meyer in st. Pc
tersburg and Minister Takihira in
Washington, he has established between
the Gar on the one hand and the Mi
kado on the other, and himself was as
sured in advance of the preparation Of
his note that its receipt would prove
acceptable to both.
The feature Of the note which at once
strikes all diplomats who have read it's
terms is that it contains fare warning
to Russia that under no circumstances
can Japan be expected to accept of ne
gotiations participated in by European
powers other than Russia as has been
suggested. Profting by her experience
after the Chinese war Japan would, Of
course. reject any such proposal and
doubtless it was the purpose of the
President to make clear that fact not
only to Russia but to the entire Euro
pean world. That he has done so is
proven by the unanimous declarations
of the European representatives in
Washington that is the most obvious
feature Of the note.
Much qualification ls expressed at the
courtesy shown by France in connec-
tion with the removal of the remains Of
John Paul Jones to this country. The
French government has designated a
torpedo boat to transport the body from
Paris to Harve where it will be met by
Admiral Sigsbee with considerable
squadron and escorted with full mill
tary honors to Annapolis, where 1t will
be inferred. There have been received
30 many requests from various cities
that the body should lie in state in each
that the Navy Department has deter
mined to refuse them all and to bring
the body directly up the Chesapeake to
Annapolis.
There is considerable uneasiness man.
ifested with regard to the charges of
the Southern Cotton Planters Associa-
ton that information regarding the cot.
ton estimates of the Department OF Ag.
riculture have been furnished to Ger
tain firms in Wall Street in advance oil
their regular publication. These
charges implicate Jasper Wilson, son of,
and private Secretary to the Secretary
Of Agriculture and George K. Holmes
assistant chief of the bureau of Stats
tics. 1t is not believed that young vii.
son can have been actually guilty al
though be is recognised as being young
man of somewhat limited intelligence.
It is certain, however. that the matter
will be probed to the bottom and it may
fare badly with the association PREFER.
ing the charges if they are found to be
groundless.
The President has bought little
farm of fifteen acres down in Virginia
a few hours ride from Washington. 1t
is not the expectation Of the Chief Ex-
ecutive to add to his income by the re-
ceipts from the Virginia property but
to secure place where he can slip
away from Washington over Sunday
and be free from the constant interrup.
tion and the round of ceremonial calls
which rob him Of all privacy in Wash
ington. His Oyster Bay home is to far
away to make it available for brief res
pltes such as could be had on his new
place. The property has been purchas
ed in Mrs. Roossvelt's name.