The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-08-10
PEACE HINGES
UPON INOE MNITY
Pessimistic Feeling Over the Outcome
of Negotiations.
FIRST MEETING OF ENJOYS
TODAY JAPAN'S DEMANDS WILL
BE MADE KNOWN.

the PROBABILITY mat Baron hOnuTd
viii tomorrow reveal to the Rus
sian plenipotentiaries the terms upon
which Japan is willing to conclude
peace, opinion as to the outcome among
those who are congregated here to
watch the proceedings has become de-
cidedly pessimistic. This is due TO the
growing conviction that Japan's con-
ditions will not prove as moderate as
were at one time anticipated and,
especially in the matter of indemnity
may preclude the possibility of their
acceptance by the Russian ENJOYS as
| a basis of negotiation.
/. The firm attitude of Mr.. White in
private conversation against the pay
ment of indemnity and the insistent re-
ports emanating from Japanese quar-
tiers that stiff war contribution APP
proXimating the cost of the war, vari-
ously stated at from $500, 900, 600 to $780,
100000, constitutes one of Japans de-
mands. indicates a wide if not an ir-
reconciliable difference between Japans
irreducible minimum and what Russia
is prepared to accept.
Possible Way Out.
Upon the question of the payment of
a large indemnity the instructions of
the Russian plenipotentiaries are be-
HeVed to admit of no concessions al
though it is possible a certain compen-
sation in kind might be arranged. For
REIMBURSEMENT of the island of Sakha-
lin, now potentially in Japanese hands.
the possession of which by Japan would
give her command of the whole ST.
| berian littoral, Russia could with pro-
priety pay a large sum.
Gloomy forebodings, however, may
be premature at this juncture. as every
! thing indicates the Observation-Disclosures
upon both sides are sincerely DESTROYS
of concluding a treaty of peace.
Informal Meeting.
The first meeting of the plenipoten-
tlaries today was of an entirely in
formal character, so informal in fact,
that Baron Komura did not bring his
letter of credence to the Portsmouth
navy yard, whereas Mr.. Witte was
armed with the original document in
! Russian setting forth the powers con-
ferred upon him and also with trans
lation of the document. The latter he
read Baron Komura was embar-
raised and offered to send back to the
/ hotel for his communication, but Mr..
] White expressed his faith that the Gre
dentials were full and ample and it was
| arranged that official exchange of Gre
dentlals should be made tomorrow.
Later in the Afternoon, however.
copies of the credentials were inform
ally exchanged in order that they might
/ be examined before the meeting tomoT~
row. It is known that the credentials
.
could not be ascertained tonight, but
the Associated Press correspondent is
assured both by the Japanese and
Russian emtssaries that the difference
is not essential and constitutes no
obstacle to the official opening of the
negotiations. Indeed. the president was
officially Informed tonight that the Gre
dentials were fully. ample and salts
factory to both sides.
TWO Sessions Daily.
It was decided today to hold two
daily sessions. one in the morning be-
ginning at $50 and one in the after
noon beginning at 3. To avoid delay
and give the plenipotentiaries and dele
gates time for consultations between
sessions, it has been arranged that
/ luncheon viii be served at the navy
yard and the ENJOYS upon leaving their
quarters in the morning VIII not return
until the afternoon session adiourns
Three secretaries for each side win be
! in attendance to draw up the protocols
( of the meetings. which win be written
/ in both English and French.
! The French text. however. in cases
! of dispute win be accepted in evidence
/ (taire fob. The official versions of to-
days meeting given out by each side
describes ii as satisfactory" and other
accounts indicate that while everything
passed off amicably. considerable re-
serve was displayed upon 'both sides.
Cordial Greeting.
Baron homura, whom Mr. Witte had
met in st. Petersburg during the for
mer's service as japanese minister
/ there, was pleasantly greeted by the
cnlet Russian envoy in French hut the
baron was obliged to shake his head
and turn to his secretary, Mr. Honda
who explained that Baron Komura had
| forgotten the little French he knew
while in st. Peters burg
While the Russian pIenipotentiar ies
expect the japanese to present the jap
anese terms Immediately upon the Of
fetal exchange of credentials tonor-
row. they admit they are in the dark.
Baron Komura and his colleagues de-
cline to give any intimation of their
course of procedure.
Pursuing the tactics which they have
constantly followed in all their dip
lomatic and military operations, they
are carefully guarding all their plans
regarding the present meeting.
Good Faith Not Questioned.
There was some disposition today to
attribute Baron Komura's forgetful-
ness in not bringing his credentials to
the meeting to a desire to spar for
time and for that reason some doubt
was expressed whether the Japanese
would show their hand tomorrow. but
1.-The Russian ENJOYS do not question
Baron Komura's good faith and frankly
Sly IL DIS uuC 10 a IllSunQGlSldnQllS-
This evening the amenities We're OBJ
served by general exchange of cards.
Mr.. White. Baron Rosen and his suite
sending theirs through the hotel office.
while the cards OF the japanese mission
were left at the doors of the members
OF the Russian mission by little Japa-
.nese messenger boy.
official Calls.
Commanders Winsiow and Gibbons
also made their official calls upon the
two missions late this evening.
The Japanese and Russian newspa-
per correspondents have broken the
ice and have begun to fraternize. 1t
is perhaps significant that the cores
pondents on both sides are sending to-
their respective homes dispatches of
anything but an optimistic charac-
ter.
In the opinion of the Russians the
emperor's manifesto promulgating the
national assembly project will ma
terially strengthen the position of the
Russian enVOys by relieving the in