Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1905-08-29
MAY INSURE PEACE TREATY
Said That Proposition Involves Fixing
of Price of Northern sakhalin by
Mixed Commission to Be Selected
Later-Rumor Is Denied and Rdi-
cuIed by Both Sides in Portsmouth.
(By Associated prcss.)

tomorrow morning Baron KOmuru
acting upon instructions received from
Toxic az q result Of tOday's meeting
of the cabinet and elder statesmen
under the direct presidency Of the I'm.
pcror of Japan. will submit to NJ. Wit
tc. new basis of compromise, and
that compromise, 1t is frankly believed
tonight, will insure peace.
The revelation contained in the AS
ment today that President Roosevelt
had already informed Emperor Mich
olas, through Ambassador Meyer. that
Japan was ready to waive the question
Of indemnity and submit the price to
be paid for the northern half of SAX
hahn Island To the judgment of Il mix
ed commission. had prepared the way
for Japan'S back down on the main
issue. The announcement has been
the sensation of the day. 1t has met
with denials high and low. 1t was de-
clared to be impossible, Incredible.
The Japanese declined to admit it and
the, Russiuns said they had no coniir-
nation
Appraised of No Such Action.
NJ. Witte intimated strongly that st.
Petersburg had not appraised him Of
any such action by the President.
There was even disposition to ridi-
Guile the idea of arbitrating the price
OF half the island. Nevertheless, ON
all hands it was admitted that if ia
pan took the position. the ground
was cut out from under Emperor
Nicholas
M. White, by consummate skill III
conceding all the demands of Japan in
volving the real issues of the war, had
manoeuvcred his advcrsarics into pu-
sition where. unless they abandoned
the claim for indemnity, they could
be held responsible for continuing tho
war for money
The Japanese by now foregoing the
demand for indemnity practically turn
the tables upon Russia and Shift the
burden back to her shoulders if she
does not consent to submit minor
issue to the impartial judgment of n
tribunal
Witte Dissents Vigorously.
M. White publicly dissents vigorous
ly from the proposition and there will
still be struggle with Peterhof, but
if Japan agrees to formally renounce
all claims for direct or Indirect COM
pensatiow for the expenses Of the war,
the big stumbling block to peace Is
out of the way
Everything will depend upon the
form in which the proposal Is submit
ted. Should the remuneration be so
coupled with the other proposition
that Russia could claim it was still
only disguised demand for tribute,
the gun might only be narrowed, not
hridged. All the private advIces that
reach the Russian mission from st.
Petersburg indicate that the military
party is bellicose, insistcnt that Line.
Witch be given a chance, and active
In it's insistcncc that negotiations be
broken off.
a Man of Ambition.
M. Wittc feels the pressure of this
sentiment, and, as man of ambition,
he may not feel that he can afford
to lay himself open to the charge that
ne is temporizing with the situation.
He has power under his instructions
to reject out Of hand any proposition
involving the payment of kopeck CT
tribute. He need not consult his i'm
perial master. He is man of inspir.
alton and he is quite capable, If tho
- japanese pan proposition savors still of
blood money" to refuse even to nc
cept 1t for transmission to ST. Peters.
burg.
But. such II stroke Is not expected.
M. Wittc knows that public opinion,
both in America and Europe as we'll
as In Russia. could condemn him if
ne broke off negotiations just as the