Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-08-12
ANSWER TO BE DELIVERED BY
VI. WiTTE THIS
A.. MORNING.
MAY BE COUNTER OFFER

he Gar Decides Quickly on His Po-
sition With Regard to the Stand
Taken by Mikado's Government -
Terms Regarded as impossible Of
Acceptance.
Portsmouth. Aug. 11.-The AS
ISOLATED Press learns that Russia
will agree to accept all except two
Of the Japanese conditions as a
basis for discussion. The excep-
tIons are the indemnity and the
cesson OF sakhain.
st. Petersburg, Aug. 11.-Every
step In the negotiations at Ports.
mouth are being fully reported
here. The reply Of Witte to be
presented tomorrow morning to
the Japanese will neither be an
acceptance nor a decIination Of
the conditions which komura pre-
sented, but will be an invitation
to the Japanese to consider the
terms piecemeal. Some Of the
terms are satisfactory to Russia
and others must be modified or
eliminated If there is to be an
agreement at this time.
Portsmouth, Aug. 11.-The Rus
sian reply Is already practically
completed and will be handed by
Witte to Baron komura at $50
O'Clock tomorrow morning. Witte
has officially notified komura of
this fact and the official call for
meeting Of the conference at
that hour has been issued.
Toxic, Aug. fit Is officially
announced that 118 Russian Off
GERS and men surrendered at
Moro, on sakhalin island, Aug. 8.
Portsmouth, Aug. IL With the
Japanese terms Of peace under con
liberation by the emperor at st. Pet
srsburg and the Russian plenipoten
tiaries awaiting the word Of his ma
jesty, before completing the draft o
their response, an enforced pause has
come in the proceedings of the peace
conference This period of waiting
will continue until tomorrow, whel
the answer will be given.
Demands Are impossible.
Among the Russians it is alread,
apparent that the Japanese terms, es
pecially those asking Russia to foo
the bill for the cost of the war an
cession of territory and to put limit
alton upon the naval forces in the ia
east, are considered absolutely ur
entertainable On these points tn
Russian answer is sure to be no!
possimus.
Associated Press Makes "scoop."
The publication of the Associate
Press dispatches today giving the Jar
anese condition created a great flurr
at the hotel among the guests an
newspaper correspondents, who ha
only been able to guess at the terms
Japanese Terms.
Reimbursement for expenses SUI
tanned by the prosecution of the wa
and cession of the island of Sakhali
constitute the main features of th
peace conditions handed by Baron H
mura to M. Witte yesterday.
IN The word Indemnity" is CAREFUL
,Evoided, the term employed being ST
endorsement" for the cost of the wa
No sum is fixed, the amount being di
tinctly adjourned for mutual adjus
ment between the two countries a
ter the Japanese expenditure has bee
ascertained.
These are the two all important col
ditions and those which the Russia
plenipotentiaries find absolutely una
ceptable. Unacceptable as they ar
however, it can be stated that thes
two principal conditions did not CON
as surprise to the Russian plenip
tentiaries.
Fine Japanese Diplomacy.
The friendly fashion in which K
mura explained the conditions befol
handing them to Witte and the avoi
ance Of the use of the word "indemr
~ III IaS " Ol Jdpdu
bill for the cost of the war witho,
fixing the sum, leaves the way ope
For negotiations and constitutes tt
main hope that final agreement
nossible.
The terms include:
)Recognition by Russia of tt
principle of the independence and te
ritorial integrity of China.
2. Evacuation of Manchuria.
IS. Transfer to Japan of the leas
Of Port Arthur and Dalny and all te
ritory and rights appurtenant theret
a. Transfer to Japan of the leas
of the railroad from Port Arthur
the point near Harbin occupied by tt
Japanese forces, and of all rights
exploitation in >onnection with tt
--''u.av ar indenendentlr of it of Co