The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-08-24
CARDS LIE FACE UP ON THE
TABLE AT PORTSMOUTH
M. Witte FIatIy Refuses to Pay indemnity in Any
Form or GuSe.
laps Offered 10 Waive indemnify With the Understanding That
Russia Would Pay 200 100000 Yen For the Northern
Half of Sakhan

today of The peace conference, threw
the cards upon the table. 1t was the
dramatic moment-the moment to
which all the previous proceedings Of
the conference had led. Tie protocols
involving agreement upon eight Of the
twelve conditions originally presented
by Japan had been signed. one side CT
the other must make a move. or The
plenipotentiaries had reached The part
ing of the WAYS. The adversa-ies
faced each other across the fable. O.
course il was well understood wat
would happen. but that- in Il way only
made it more dramatic. FigurattVeiy
President Roosevelt suddenly entered
the conference room NJ Witte sat
silent and the move in the great
diplomatic game passed to Japan.
Japan's Notifications.
Baron Komura in a few words ex-
planned that japan in her greac desire
for peace was ready TO make certain
"modifications" of the original articles
In the hope that Russia could see it
possible to accept them He then pre-
scented in writing 10 M White the COM
promise proposition which President
Roosevelt had suggested Ii was CON
crete and specific. and il followed the
lines outlined in the set dispatches. i
offered to withdraw article 9, providing
for the payment by Russia of Japans
bill for the cost of the war, on condi-
ton that Russia would accept article
3, which provides for the cession of the
island of Sakhalin so modified as TO
include an ARRANGEMENT for the re-
purchase by Russia of the northern
half of the island for 1900. 0O0.O 600 yen
In addition il offered to Withdraw en-
tirely articles II and II surrender of
the interned Warships and limitation
upon Russia's sea power in the far
east)
White Not BIuffing.
It was President Roosevelts COM
promise. and NJ. Witte knew its con-
tents as well as Baron Komura. The
question of whether he had been
"bluffing was put to the test
Without a moments hesitation NJ.
Witte explained that the modification
proposed was merely sham. change
Of phraseolOgy. diplomatic attempt to
"dorer Ia pilule" and ask Russia 10
pay war tribute under another name.
He could not accept it, He told Baron
komura Russia wanted peace. She
had given the proofs in accepting
avery article involving the issues upon
which the war was fought, but she
could fight and money for tribute she
would not pay. not I1opeck- He asked
Baron KOmura to withdraw all de-
mands for tribute And so the Dleni-
potentiaries separated. to meet aga in
on Saturday. OStensibly TO permit NJ.
OF the conference require. his reply to
the Japanese compromise proposition.
In reality the adjournment over the
two days was to give each side an
opportunity to consult its government
for the last time
Outlook is Dark.
The outlook is black. Many believe
Il was never so black as tonight The
japanese are not talking. Indeed. to-
night they appear to be more taciturn
and more TesOlute than ever The only
possible line of further Japanese con-
Cession is considered to lie in the
6iminutiOn of the amount Of the puT-
chase money demanded for the north
half of Sakhalin. The decision rests,
therefore, as it has from the first with
Russia. Unless the emperor agrees to
yield between now and Saturday the
end is likely 20 come on that day And
the indications from Peterhof, instead
Of raising the chances, indicate even a
firmer determination to yield neither
territory nor indemnity. sugar-coated
though the latter may be.
Emperor's Message.
The long instruction received last
evening, while not a reply to the COM
muniCation OF President Roosevelt
given TO NJ. Witte at the navy NarC
yesterday afternoon. was of a char
acter to almost completely destroy
hope that il viii BE- possible for NJ.
White to satisfy the japanese demands. /
NJ Witte himself has been quoted as
saying that he would not if ordered to
do SC by the emperor sign a treaty in
VolViHg the payment of a kOpeck. But /
il must be borne I'm mind that NJ
White in the negotiations is not free
agent He represents his emperor. II
he were absolutely free this conference
would not fail He would make peace |
He sympsthizes with the solution Of
fered by the president but his hands
are tied. and unless he receives an i'm
perial command he cannot move.
Faint Hope Remains.
Black as the prospects appear to-
night however the failure of the
negotiations is not certain. The Rus
sian camp is DeSsimistiC. 10 a man. but
they all know the quick and startling
changes of front that sometimes takI
place al Peterhof And there are fac
tors In the situation which might af-
feet one of those sudden and mexpli-
cable changes I'm the emDeror's attitude
which have frequently astonished !
Russia.
Private advices from st Petersburg
say that sentiment there, i'm Moscow
and in large ccuters favors acceptance |
of the compromise. This may mean
much. But the real hope still rests /
with President Roosevelt He is re-
sOurceful. He has made another-movc !
He has sent Ambassador Meyer direct |
10 the emperor. ana they We're to- /
gether. according 10 advices received |
here, for three hours today
Work of the Kaiser.
Mr.. Roosevelt himself tonight may
know more about how the emperor |
feels than VI. Witte and be able 10 act |
upon the Information conveyed to him I
by his ambassador The report is in ]
dustriousIy circulated here that En-
peror William is responsible for the at
"a IN Faf4Fs rs..l,r
everyth hing IS traced back TO the meet |
ing OF the enlDerorS on board the |
HOhenzOllern In the Finnish gulf IN
support OF this it is positively stated /
that after the interview NJ Whites in I
structiOns were made stronger and /
more unyielding. The following !
authoritative statement of the Russian /
position with regard To the phase of /
the negotiations created by the presen- |
tation of the Japanese compromise is |
made TO the Associated Press:
statements have appeared in promi- /
nent American and English papers, 1