The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-08-12
RUSSIANS WILL REPLY TODAY
NOT NECESSARY TO WAIT TO HEAR
FROM THE GEAR.
ENJOYS Have Counter Prspssai - Submit
to Japan-Feelins in PsrtsmsssA y
Not Entirely Hepeless-Witts Co.
tends That Russia u Net Deceased.

to Japan-FeelinI In Peetmo00 -
Not Entirely Hspeless-Witts Co.
tends That Russia u Net Deesasea.
PORTSMOUTH, N. H.; Aug. N.-Ar. Wits
and Baron Roeen. the Russian peace p)sni-l
potentiares, will tomorrow present their
response to the Japanese terms. They
have not waited for Instructions from
st. Petersburg to guide them In the preparar|
ton Of their answer. but being fully aware
| Of the attitude Of the Russian 0overnmsot'
have framed statement upon thstr own
responsibility. Va
Before going any further II is well to ~
that the situation is decidedly moro hopeful
tonight. This Is purely unofficial visws
but 1t Is based On the knowledge that tie
Russian ENJOYS In their response TO. the
Japanese will oonoede some Of the demands
made by the latter and evinoe disposition
to discuss the more radical proposals made
by the representatives Of Nippon.
There Is no disposition on the part OF
the Russians. depressed as they. profess
| to be, to stand on their dignity and, cut
the exchanges short. They are still willing
to meet their opponents half way and to
give careful and reasonable consideration
to any and every suggestion that has been
or will be made by the japanese. 80
The lingering hope to which references
was made In the dispatches from Pofis.
mouth printed in THE Sun this morning
Is at this writing something stronger than
a lingering hope. The feeling on the part
Of unprecedented and dsinterested OBJ
servers that an earnest effort to bring
about peace would be made is gradually
being sustained.
II. is useless to attempt to give in detail
the conditions which the Japanese have
| proposed as a basis for the ending Of the
war. Even the Russian newspaper corre-
spondents, men Of the highest standing
In their own country and maintaining
relations Of intimacy with members Of ths
Cars mission, freely admit that their
sources Of information have failed them
at this crucial moment Of national and
international interest in the demands which
| the Toxic Government has sub mitted.
As for the Japanese, they are. as always
since the very outset Of the present CON-
fict, wrapped in a mantle Of secrecy and
| only smile and say things that have no
meaning when they are importuned for
information about the position which their
Government has assumed.
laps KNOW THE OF, z AND TAKE CANE.
Native correspondents Of Jpanese news
papers are even more In the dark than
their European and American competitorss
for their channels OF news are confined
to those OF their own nation. In the honest
display OF that touching patriotism which
seems to be the very pith and fber Of the
race they are firmly convinced that the
Japanese terms are 'irreducibIe, to quote
t1o mr. tow x1,ht n 1T than
this they mean that Japan must have al
or nothing Of what she has asked from
Russia.
But the two silent men to whom the
Mikado has entrusted the adjustment
Of the greatest crisis in the history Of his
islands are sufficiently acquainted with the
ways Of the Western world to know the
game Of give and take, and there can be
no doubt that they are willing to bargain
II by that means the one great end which
they seek, the withdrawal Of the Slavic
peril from the Far East, cen be accom-
| plished with satisfaction to the Japanese
Empire.
without intending any reflection upon
those who have earnestly sthven to as
certain for one reason or another the terms
which the inscrutable brown men from
across the broad Pacific submitted yesterday
to their European adversariee and who
gave their version Of what those terms
were, It may not be improper to say in the
interest Of ephemeral accuracy that outside
of the very few who are officially oognizant
Of them nobody here knows the full extent
and Significance Of the Japanese proposals
for bringing an end to the war. Exact
statements Of what the Japanese note con-
tains are to be disoredited.
-Rotl" exclaimed one Of the Russian
envoys, when he saw to-day what professed
to be "a full synopsis of the demands made
by Japan. IA
Most Of the guesses that have been made
we're based on a remark attributed to Mr..
Witte, which he may not have uttered ct
all, that the American press had fore
Swallowed the Japanese conditions before
they were presented. Il
In the prospect that the text Of the note
presented by Baron Komura and Mr.. Taxa
hira to Mr. Witte and Baron Rosen will b
made pu blic within the next forty eight
hours it is decidedly useless to profess .
thorough understanding Of what Japan
has submitted. The Japanese demands
are far reaching, and even those who are
aware Of their full import are likely to omit
important details while relying upon
memory alone.
HOPEFUL SIGNS.
The thing that stands out most promi-
nently is that no demand for a specific In
demnity has been made It is true that
Japan has requested to use polite
term OF diplomacy, that Russia recognise
the prin ciple that the Japanese Govern.
ment IL entitled to remuneration for the
vast expenditures TO which she has been
put in prosecuting the war, but the failure
to insist upon specific payment Is In itself
enooura ging to the idea that peaoe will
come as a result OF the Portsmouth con.
ference.
Another encouraging sign is that japan
has not demanded the dismantlement Of
the Notifications at Vladivostok, and while
there are conflicting statements on the
subject from reliable sources Of informa-
ton, still further encouragement is found
in the very moderate reference made 70
the future OF Corea.
The cession of the island OF Sakhalln