Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1905-06-14
WASHINGTON LETTER..
From our Regular Correspondent

Lno IfoSlu6nL earnest chorus In Donall
Of peace in the far East have met with
success. From unofficial but apparent
ly authentic advices received from St.
Petersburg it is learned that the Car
has virtually sued for peace. That is,
he has instructed his ambassadors at
Paris and Washington to take the nee
essary steps to learn on what terms
Japan will make peace. This, in the
estimation of practically all the diplo-
mats in Washington, means that Rus
STA will fight no longer although it is
appreciated thu it may take some time
to reach final agreement. 1t is gen
orally believed that the frank though
friendly presentations of the Presi-
dent. whose reputation is by no means
that of d ''peace at any price statesman,
have had much to do with inducing
the Russian Emperor to take this step
and the representatives of other Euro
pean powers in Washington express a
lively appreciation Of the good offices
already exerted by the Chief Executive
of the new world power" in the con-
cert of nations.
1t is entirely characteristic of the
President that. much as he desired to
bring about this peace, his wishes in
IL
rendering decision on the interna-
tional law governing the conduct of
neutrals which must have proved
unwelcCme TO Russia as unwelcome
there as it was grateful to the rest oil
the world. This decision was to the
effect that the three Russian cruisers
which sought refuge in the harbor OF
Manila must not remain there long
enough to repair the damages incurred
in battle. The President held that
while the vessel of belligerent might
make, in neutral port, repairs neces-
STATED by stress of weather or by acct
| UuOSS luCuEIt'u LII UdUllO must De
excepted.
Russa's determination to disregard
the views Of the United States and
Great Britain. with regard to contra
band OF war, makes the decision of the
President in this instance particularly
grateful to those engaged in commerce
on the high seas for it pointed out that
it would be folly for these three Russian
cruisers to attack any japanese naval
fleet and if permitted to make such
their only mission must be necessarily
be to prey upon commerce, chiefly
that of the neutrals, with the hope of
finding contraband of war on board.
1t will be recalled that Russia's high
handed methods with the commerce of
neutrals has already strained her rela-
tionship with Great Britain and occa-
stoned diplomatic negotiations with
this country. In the case of the Knight
Commander, for instance, the Russians
sank British ship containing flour.
the property of Americans and con-
signed to a firm ir Hong Kong, on the
specious plea that even this -four
might have found It's way into the
hands OF the Japanese commissary Off
: GERS. This question of the proper def.
nitiCn of contraband of war, by the
way is one Of the most important
problems which will. it is hoped, be
settled when the Hague Conference is
once more reconvened.
The audacity of the Beef Trust in
sending emissaries to Washington to
plead with the President against the
character of The methods employed by
federal officials in their efforts to prove
that the Trust is violating the anti
trust law is source of amazement to
the officials of the Department of JUS
tice 1t is we'll known that the trust
will, Itself. stop atnothing in it's efforts
to drive a competitor out of business
or to ruin an independent packer who
attempts To pay the stock-raiser. Or
farmer higher price for his stock
than has been dictated by the trust,
And yet, when the Government at
tempts to secure legal proof of these
practices the Trust virtually exclaims
that it's methods are disgracefully un-
fair, that lat least the women steno-
graphers and the wives of officials
ought to be summoned' in prosecu-
ton which the vital interests of every
man, woman and bhild old enough to
eat meat in the country. The officials