Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1905-03-23
CzAR'S MINISTERS
WANT PEACE
POWERFUL INFLUENCES NOW
BEHIND THE MOVEMENT.
RrSSIiS ATTITUDE on INDEMNITY
lineviteh Still Retresting Toward
Harbin-Japanese Reported to De
Making Another Wide Turninu
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Still at the
Front

st. Petersburg. March 20.-whne
Emperor Nicholas. whose word is
final. still declines To abandon the
prosecution Of the war and the gov
ernment maintains It's ability to con-
tinue the conflict. the Associated Press
Is in a position TO state that powerful
influences, including several Of the
emperor's ministers. are now strongly
urging that the time has come To IN.
dicate TO Japan Russias desire Tor
peace upon reasonable basis should
Japan then attempt to impose too
onerous conditions. these influences
argue that in view OF the universal
wish to see the bloody conflict ended.
Rnssia's position would be strength
ened abroad by the alienation OF
sympathy from Japan and the situa.
ton at home improved when the ra-
ton Is made 10 understand that the
emperor's pacific proposals have been
met with impossible terms
One Of the emperors ministers in
conversation with the Associated
Press. said
We have suffered bitter defeat on
land and sea. We can however. con
tinue the war But both countries
have suffered great LOSSES IN blood
and treasure and ir would only nrnht
the rivals OF both were We to H.ht
On until one of the other is exhausted.
Russia has had hard task fighting
the war against such adversaries. TX
thousand miles from home and / con-
tend she can make a dignihcd peace
without glory but not without honor.
As the victor On land and sea. Japan
can anord to remember. as Bismarck
did AT the conclusion OF the Austru-
Prussian war that two countries
which must live through the long
future - ncighhors may need each
others friendship. Japan may con
slider the time prupiiious. IN account
of the situation in European Russia.
10 try and crush US. suppose. for the
sake OF argument. she succeeded in
finally forcing a humiliat.us peace IL
could not he more than an armed
truce Russia is too big and powerful
to retire permantlS from the field
The clouds at home Will eventually
roll away With the arms and navy
re-organizcd In FIVE. ten or fifteen
years there will come inevitably our
revenge. No permanent peace is pos
sihla row or later. unless Japan is
reasonable.
Broadly speaking. Russia's renun-
citation II her Manchurian policy
should satisfy Japan's claims She
could have her pTotectorate over
Korea. with privileges on the Kwang
Tung peninsulsr and at Port Arthur.
as the powers would no; oppose. and
the Chinese Eastern railroad be
placed under international control.
Russia maintaining her rights TO n
railway line through Northern Man
churia To vladivostok
What would be Russias attitude
on the subject OF indemnity"
Russia never Yet has paid indem-
nifty. and history practically affords
no precedent for indemnity where ter
ritory is not occupied to insure pay
ment. and Japan holds not a foot Of
Russian territory. Japan could. how
ever. take the proceeds Of the sale of
property and the rights of the Chinese
Eastern Railway. which was built
with Russian money"
Proceeding. the minister said the
difficulties of continuing the war were
fully appreciated. both from a military
and financial standpoint. but neither
was insurmountable. He denied EN-
phatically that the negotiations for
French loan were sdjourned becausd
Russia would not make peace. He
expected these negotiations would be
resumed soon. The success Of the in
ternal loan. first announced by the
Associated Press Saturday. the min
lister said. is assured. As for the ques
ton OF a new army. much depended
upon the exact situation when Gen.
Linevitch got the army out of danger
The minister said further that
complete details of Gen. Kuropat
kin's losses have not yet reached the
government: but il is already known
that the japanese reports are greatly
exaggerated. The reports that sixty
siege guns and many hundred cars
were left behind is false. as practi
cally no siege guns or rolling stock
fell into the hands of the Japanese.
No new general mobilization has been
ordered. and II may not be necessary"