The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-06-16
Official Announcement Marks An. other Step Toward Ultimate Con-
 cluSiOn of Possibilities in Far East

the announcement of the plenipotentia- ries an agreement will be reached as to | the time of holding the conference. While the date Is not so important. | detail as the place, 1t Is of particular concern, especially at this season, not
 only to those who are actively to parti- cipate in it, but also to diplomatists generally who are accredited to this | capital. A midsummer conference any where. so prolonged as d peace confer | ence Is likely to be, is not regarded with entirely pleasant anticipations. It is indicated. however. that the proposed conference Is scarcely likely to be con- | vened before the middle of August and perhaps not until later date. It may be July 1st, possibly a little later. before the arrangements of the meeting
 of the plenipotentiaries finally are ac- cepted.
 Both Russia and Japan are moving with the utmost deliberation. for the game of diplomacy now being played | Is of even greater importance to each Government than are the movements | of the armies on the battlefield. It will | require at least month for the negos tors of the two Governments with their
 respective staffs to come together. the distance from Japan particularly being so great that a shorter time scarcely
 could be allowed. In view. therefore, of all the conditions. including in the equation the factor of unforeseen delays over matters of minor consequence, 1t seems quite likely that the conference I will not assemble formally before the middle of August or the first of Septem- Der.
 Peace Protocol Probable. Prior to the formal assembling OF the conference it Is probable, if prece- | dent be followed, that peace protocol 1 will be negotiated. The making of the | protocol will take place before the dec- | laration of a formal armistice. It has
 not been learned yet who will be author | ized by the Russian and Japanese gov
 ernments to arrange and sign the pro- 1 tocols. The negotiations regarding It probably will be conducted in Wash | ington and it is regarded as likely that 1 the respective diplomatic representa- l tives of the belligerents will sign the l document on behalf of their govern ments.
 | It is too early yet definitely to an- | nounce what arrangements may be made here for the holding of the com I ference. It is the custom for tie Gov 1 ernment at whose capital such negotia- 1 tions are conducted to provide suit able place in which to furnish the ne- | gotiators with adequate facilities for 1 the transaction of their business. President Roosevelt Is gratified that the arrangements of a preliminary na-
  ] due friction He would have preferred 1 that the conference be held at The Hague, although the selection of Wash 1 ington naturally Is complimentary to 1 him personally and to the American Government.
 | of Washington will materially inter fere with the summer plans of the l President.
 Pressure is being brought to bear on Japan to induce her to fix the sum she will demand as an indemnity for the pending war at as low a figure in cash | as is possible under the circumstances. This pressure is being exerted espe- cially by European governments, but President Roosevelt, it Is intimated in an important quarter, also has advised the Japanese Government that modera- tion in her demand for a cash indem- nity not only would facilitate the ne-
 gotiation of peace terms, but would be | regarded by the powers with particular | favor The payment by Russia of any such cash indemnity as billion dol | lars not only would embarrass seri- ously the St. Petersburg Government, | but probably would disturb the finances l of the entire Western world. Indeed 1t has been suggested that such pay ment to all intents and purposes might | render Russia a practical bankrupt. Views of Powers.
 The opinions and views of the United States an dother powers on this sub
 ject have been permitted to reach the principal advisers of the Japanese em- l peror
 Such discussion of a cash indemnity l as has occurred has been merely sug- gestive of conditions likely to be en- l countered by Japan when she shall for ! mulate her peace terms Thus far the | Japanese government has refrained l 4f 4t.. ,f Ia
 terms, as it Is not her purpose, natu- l rally, to forearm the shrewd and pow ! erful antagonist which she is to meet | on the field of diplomacy.
 During the past ten days President
 Roosevelt has had conferences with | Baron Kaneko, the Japanese financial agent in the United States. Baron Kaneko is one of the most eminent Ori- ! ental financiers. Both In this country and Europe since the war began, he has been of inestimable service to his em- peror in the negotiation of loans and in watching all of the financial phases of the conflict. In him Japan reposes inn plicit confidence in all matters pertain ing to the fiscal policy of the empire. He is competent to speak by authority on all subjects relating to Japan's f. nances. For this reason he was con
 suited by the President. His conference with the President at the White House | J NH concerned the subject of Japans cash demands on Russia. Such advice as he might give to his government as to the cash indemnity undoubtedly would re- | ceive the deepest consideration and
 very likely. might be followed It is well understood that the Japa-
 nese government will not make known prior to the assembling of the plenipo- l tentiaries the terms on which she will be willing to conclude peace. The Jap anese Emperor is known to desire that l wnsn peace Is concluded 1t shall be cou- | pied with reasonable assurances of it's 1 permanency. Among well informed | diplomatists 1t is deemed probable that 1 Japan's terms. once they are stated will | be regarded by the world as reasonable and likely to be acceptable to Russia. Paris Pleased.
 1 Paris, June 15.-The choice of Wash
 ington for the meeting of the peace | plenipotentaries gives general satis-
 faction, as 1t is considered the appro-
 priate result of President Roosevelt's
 initiative. The Associated Press bull letin announcing the choice of Wash | ington Is the only information avail able and editions of the newspapers appearing up to 10 o'clock tonight con-
 tinue to discuss the possible choice of la European point. Copies of the bull