The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-08-22

as declaring that a rupture is inevitable.
Dispatches from st. Petersburg reflect
the same sentiment.
Portsmouth, Aug. 22.=President
| Roosevelt is energetically continuing
his efforts to save the peace conference
from shipwreck. The sensation of the
day mysterious visit paid by NJ.
Witte and Baron Rosen to the navy
yard, where Mr.. Peirce delivered to
them message in writing from Pres
| ident Roosevelt, which had been
brought from Oyster Bay by a con-
fdentia1 messenger named McGaw.
| Then for about three hours M. Witte
| and Baron Rosen remained at the
yard, and it is believed are in direct
or indirect communication with the
president After their return to the
hotel they absolutely declined to
make any statement. 1t is assumed
the presidents message was the result
of Baron Kaneko's visit to oyster Bay
| yesterday.
Roosevelt Sends a Man.
Portsmouth, Aug. 22.-At 1 o'clock to-
day a personal representative of Presi-
| dent Roosevelt was eloseted with Mr.
Witte and Baron Rosen IN the naval
! general stores building at the navy
yard. The appointment of the confer
ence was made through Secretary Peirce
| last night. 1t is not yet known whom
the emissary of the president is. This
sensation is yet unknown at the Went
worth hotel. Since 1890 the cores
pondents have been waiting on the ver-
anda of Mr.. Wittes apartments where
he had an appointment to meet them
at that hour, to be photographed with
them. They awaited his coming for
half an hour and then dispersed and
every one is wondering where Minister
Witte is and whether he forgot his en-
gagement. The conference is supposed
to have begun about half past twelve.
Mr.. Witte and Baron de Rosen left the
hotel this morning, in an automobile
supposedly for a ride. Mr.. Peirce has
not been at the hotel since this morning
and it is supposed he is also at the navy
yard where he may have received the
presidents envoy and presented him to
| the plenipotentiaries
| The conference between Mr.. Witte,
Baron de Rosen and the presidents
messenger at the navy yard, ended at
ITO this afternoon Mr.. Witte and
| Baron Rosen entered their automobile
| and returned to the hotel. The presi-
dents messenger remained behind in
/ the naval stores building and lunched
| with Secretary Peirce.
After the newspaper men had been
| waiting about hour for Mr.. Witte to
keep his appointment to be photograph
ed in a group, one of the Russian at
| taches Ieisurely sauntered up and sug-
gested that, inasmuch as Mr.. Witte and
| Baron Qe ELOS6n ndQ 6V1QenLly DS6n Qe-
layed it would be advisable to postpone
the appointment until o'clock. Not the
slightest suggestion was made of the
| important character of the business
| which had detained Mr.. Witte.
| The greatest care has been taken to
| prevent the knowledge of the secret
meeting being made public. The true
reason for the postponement of todays
session is now apparent.
A LuII at Oyster Bay.
| OySfor While president
Roosevelt has not realized in the least
his efforts to bring the Russian and
japanese ENJOYS into agreement, a dis
tinct lull in the negotiations was notice
able here today. No visitors on busi-
ness connected with the peace proceed
| ingS were expected.
Assistant Secretary of State Peirce
at Portsmouth is keeping the president
| advised of the developments but the
precise nature of the information he
transmits is not disclosed.
| So long as the conference remains in
session the president will hold himself
| in readiness to assist the envoys in any
proper way to reach a successful con-
| clusion, on their mission. He is very
| much in earnest in the efforts he is
making now to clear the way to an
agreement and it is believed his strong
| feeling has impressed itself upon the
minds of the conferees.
/ That the presidents earnestness took
| a practical turn in his conferences with
Baron Rosen and Baron Kaneko is be-
| yond question but there are reasons for
the belief that the full purport of his
efforts has not yet appeared. 1t is felt
here that as a break in the conference
seems to have been averted there is yet
hope of successful issue
Compromise on Sakhalin.
Portsmouth, Aug. 22.-The peace pro-
tocol is being prepared in French by
one of the Russians in collaboration
with the Japanese secretaries who make
an English translation of the document
The protocol is to be a faithful photo
graph of the proceedings showing ir
condensed form the arguments advanc-
ed on each side in support of the posi-
ton taken by each of the different ar
ticles. When the Japanese take an ex-
ception to the verbiage employed by
Mr.. Plancon, the exact words to be used
are agreed to by them and if an issue
arises which they cannot adjust it is
referred to the respective chiefs, Baror
KOmura and Mr.. Witte. All has thus
far gone smoothly. Should treaty
eventually be agreed upon it will be
| written in French with an English copy
! attached. But the French text will be
the document signed and will govern in
case of dispute over Interpretation.
| A plan for compromising the differ
ences between the plenipotentiaries or
article has been suggested. 1t contem-
plates the restoration of the status quo
existing before 1875 when Russia held
the northern and Japan the southern
part of the island. This, it is contended
should satisfy the national claims o1
Japan and at the same time relieve
| Russia of the danger of an invasion
from the mainland, which it is declared
:. | by the Russians would exist if the is
land were in the full possession of the
Japanese. Such a solution of course
would involve some sort of a commits
sion to delirlinate the frontier which
Twas never definitely fixed. This sugges-