Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-08-31

ference of ministers and elder states
men at Toxic Monday. The car
called his advisers together at Peter
hof The time for "bluflng" had pass
ed Both rulers realized this fact and
the conferences got down to the dis
cussion of real business without de-
lay. The cars advisers and himself
decided to yield, not one iota from
the position they took at their last
conference. They declared they would
not pay indemnity to Japan. They de-
clared they would not purchase SAX
hahn or any part of that. island.
They declared they would not agree
to yield to Japan the Russian war
ships interned at neutral ports They
were willing to pay the conquering ma.
ton for the expenditures necessary
for the sustenance of Russian prison
ers. but not one cent, not one kopek
for indemnity.
1t is not hard, with a little mag
ination to see in ones minds eye, the
outline of that Russian conference,
but when the Toxic meeting is con-
sidered the task is a harder one.
Japan had won in every important
battle, her claims to territory and to
indemnity were justified by history,
and were backed by the sympathy Of
an overwhelming majority of the cit
liens of the island nation. Apparent
ly overwhelming" is more fitting, for
the outcome of that conference shows
that public opinion and the opinion of
the Japanese press went for nothing
as against the judgment of the elder
statesmen, the ministers and the en-
peror of Japan But President Roose-
welt had announced that Japan's de-
mands last week were justified in his
| judgment. What could the Toxic con-
ferees be expected to do but reiterate
those demands already made of Rus
STA?
An Epoch Making Day.
Just what line of argument was fol-
lowed in that conference no one who
was not of it knows. Perhaps it will
be written into Japanese histories at
some future time, and it will then
become known as one of the epoch
/ making events in the career of the lit
tie nation of little men. The mikado
and his advisers decided to accede to
the position of the Russians They no.
titled their representatives at Ports
mouth accordingly, and when the
news reached this city Monday night
the Japanese ENJOYS announced,
through their spokesman, Mr. Sato,
that their offer to be made Tuesday
would contain concessions Yesterday
morning everyone connected in any
way with the peace conference and
interested in its progress awoke to the
realization that Tuesday would be a
i great day in history, but it is safe to
say that no one not Japanese had
any inkling of the real situation and
| the real world-surprise that was about
to be sprung by the ENJOYS of the
mikado
Victory in Defeat. =
Though Russia has won in the con.
| ference Japan has met all the Russian
accusations with an act of moral hero.
ism, to say to Russia that she fore.
goes the indemnity not because she
does not believe that she is entitled
to it, but because she is not officially
justified in demanding a partial REIN.
bursement for the expenses to which
she has been and sacrifices which
She has been compelled to make by
Russia having forced her to war in
| defense of her very existence, not be-
| cause the usage and practice of ma.
tons is opposed to the victor making
the vanquished pay for peace-not on
! these grounds, but because she is will.
ing to give up all that she may justly
claim for the sake of humanity and
! the progress of the world.
1T is magnificent" says some of the
80, --',o --e'-1d lilo ~ T--an