Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1905-08-24


ity OF President Roosevelt becomes
larger and larger in the crisis. He
stands between the warning countries
insisting that The peace conference
shall not fail. The strength of the
Presidents position is that h5 COM
mands the confidence of both sides. He
has already accomplished much in us
ing his good Offices to impress upon
each side the necessity for mutual
concession and both sides yielded a
great deal to his persuasion Only a
single point separated them, but it is
as it has been from the beginning.
President Roosevelt's compromise
proposition, which Baron Komura for
mally presented at yesterdays meet
ing, was that Japan agreed to entire
ly withdraw articles ten and eleven,
(the surrender of the interned war
SHIPS and the limitation of Russias
naval force in the tar east, and to
substitute for articles five and nine,
(the cession of Sakhalin and ndem-
nity) number of articles providing
for an arrangement by which Japan
should get tie Legal tue to the
southern half o. Sakhalin, which she
possessed before the treaty OF 1875,
while Russia should redeem or pair
her title to the northern half # the
island for $600,000,000. Russia offered
to pay literally for the maintenance of
Russian prisoners in Japan. Her ces-
sion of the Chinese Eastern Railroad
also will place tidy sum in the Jap
anese eXchequer Further than that,
Mr.. Witte has as yet no instructions,
but President Roosevelt did not sur
render He tried his appeal for 'sseace
to the Czar, and Ambassador Meyers
three hour audience with Emperor
Nicholas may have proved the decid-
ing factor.
Pres.uent May Appeal to Emperor Of
Japan.
The response which Mr.. Meyer re-
ceived from Emperor Nicholas is al
ready in President Roosevelt's posses
sion and he is in a position to define
his next step. If Emperor Nicholas
declined absolutely to yield there may
be still time to turn to Toxic for
last appeal to forego the $300,000,000
or $400,000,000 indemnity rather than
protract the war indefinitely at the
cost of millions of dollars and thou
sands of lives, and with no surety
that she will ever be able, whatever
her military successes, to force a trib-
ute from her adversary. 1t can be
stated now with absolute positiveness
that 1t was the Presidents message
to Emperor Nicholas, yesterday deliv-
cred in person by Mr.. Meyer, which
was communicated to Mr.. Witte and
Baron Rosen Tuesday afternoon at the
navy yard President Roosevelt de-
sired that the Russian plenipotenti-
aries should be apprised of the step
he contemplated, and the fact that
they, as is understood, approved it is
significant in the extreme. If his ap-
peal to Emperor Nicholas has failed
there Still remains a last appeal to
the Emperor of Japan. Today M. Witte
and Baron Rosen went to Magnolia TO
lunch with Baroness Rosen at the
Russian embassy.
What Happened at Yesterdays
Session.
Portsmouth, N. H., Aug. 24.-The ia
panese plenipotentiaries at the con.
clusion of the afternoon session yester-
day of the peace conference, threw the
cards upon the table. The protocols
involving agreement upon eight of the
twelve conditions originally presented
by Japan had been signed. One side
or the other must make move or the
plenipotentiaries had reached the part.
ing of the ways.
The adversaries faced each other
across the table. NJ. Witte sat silent
and the move in the great diplomatic
game passed to Japan. Baron Komura
In few words explained that Japan In
her great desire for peace was ready
to make certain "modications" of the
original articles in the hope that Rus
sia could find it possible to accept them
He then presented in writing to NJ
Witte the compromise proposition
which President Roosevelt had sug
gested. 1t was concrete and specific
and it followed the lines outlined il
these dispatches.
Without moments hesitation NJ
Witte explained that the modification
proposed was merely a sham. a chang,
of phraseology, diplomatic attemp
to "dorer la pilule" and ask Russia t,
pay war tribute under another name
He could not accept it. He told Bar
ION komura Russia wanted peace. Sh'