The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-08-19
WILL RUSSIA YIELD?

| The peace conference at the Ports
mouth navy yard between the plenipo
tentiaries of Japan and Russia is now
at that acute stage which has been ex-
pected, and the press reports are that
there is pessimism on both sides as to
the outcome.
Russia has virtually accepted with
but little change ten of the twelve ar
| ticles submitted by Japan, but the
main question is that of an indemnity
| of perhaps a billion dollars to Japan,
and the cession of the Island of SAX
halin to that power, which has al
ready occupied it.
The Japanese are showing great re-
serve in their pour parlers with the
Russians and the latter are much
| mystified as to the ultimate decision
Of the men from the Far East. The
brown men of the Island Empire are
proving themselves as skilled in diplo-
| macy as they are alert and successful
| in war.
| Studying the conditions of the two
l
view it is not seen how the Japanese
could ask less than they have done.
| In every important engagement on
land and sea they have defeated the
| Russians, and if the Car wishes to
| end the war his representatives must
| realize that the Japanese are the
conquerors. They have writ this in
blood in the fall Of Port Arthur, in the
| battle of Mukden and in the rout in
the Sea of Japan. They have march
banners have waved in victory during
the entire war.
There may be minor modification in
the terms, but the taciturn Jap has
given no intimation of this, and his
proves and determination are such
| that but slight change can reason
ably be expected. The purpose of the
Japanese plenipOtentiaries is to make
a lasting peace between Russia and
their country, and their demands as
| contained i'm the articles submitted
| to the Russians have been drawn for
| this purpose. Full we'll do they
realize that the influence of Russia
| in the East is to their hurt and they
will be insiStent in demanding that
| every possible avenue to this be stop
ped.
If the peace conference fails it will
be because Russia fears to accept the
terms offered, and if these are not
accepted it will be because the pow
ers that rule in Russia dare not face
their people with the report of their
acceptance of these terms. For years
/ it has been the policy of Russia to
take that from which Japan has driven
them. The country seeks a port on
the open seas and when it recedes
from it's desires of years twill be sole
| ly because the logic of war has driven
it to this point. 1t is realized, that
there is trouble for the ruling dynasty
| in Russia if the peace terms do not
set well on the stOmachs~of the war
party and the forces ever in opposi-
| ton to the government
And if peace fails, what then? 1t
is certain that Oyama has long BEEN
prepared to strike& quick and terrible
blow to the army facing him, and
the expectation is that this will come
close upon a failure to agree. His
army has had q breathing spell, and
is now ready and eager to go forward
on march of victory and conquest.
There have been battles in he past,
but that war that Sherman has lurid-
ly told of will go on in the East with
the failure of the negotiations.
The Japanese at home have not
been optimistic as to peace and they
are prepared to see the negotiations
fail, for they do not trust to Russian
Establishments or soft phrases. They
are taking not one thing for granted,
but as the negotiations proceed
Oyama increases the efficiency of his
magnificent fighting machine facing
the forces of Linevitch, and behind
him are the thousands who have never
known defeat and who are eager to
do battle. even though they know
that their lives are but pawns in the
game of death.
1t will be the death blow that Japan
will endeavor to give if the war
starts afresh, and if the record of the
past is a prophecy of the future then
Linevitch will be swept aside as
straw in whirlwind and Manchuria
will be the possession of the Japanese.
On they will go and Vladivostock,
now Russia's, will fall as did Port
Arthur. Lake Baikal, the valley of
the Amur. Kamchatka will all be OBJ
jective' points with Linevitch's army
defeated. and the littoral shores of
the Pacific, for which Russia longs
will be Japanese.
Such is the humiliation which Jap
anese proves in the past marks out
for Russia should peace fail. The
terms now proposed may be hard, but
with further Japanese victories they
will be made harder Russia is in
straits now to borrow money to con-
inn he