The San Francisco call., 1905-08-24
PRESIDENT APPEALS
DIRECT TO THE CZAR
Still Hopeful of Ayerting
a Collapse of Conference
Of those things as concessions is but t
play with words.
NATIONAL HONOR VS.. GOLD.

CT those Things as CONCESSIONS is Dul 10
play with words.
NATIONAL HONOR VS.. GOLD.
1T is equally cnlIdIsh TO aIIirm that
Japan foregoes her claim for an indem-
: nifty because the new proposal does not
] actually mention it. Ali that she does is
TO join the question of Saghalien with
1 that of a cash payment and to insist
upon war costs under the name of pur-
chase money The transaction is fictitious
and the terminology misleading. If what
Is proposed be in truth a purchase ana
sale, il should be treated as such, and,
therefore, should Russia decline to buy
! The territory, Japan should keep it and
conclude peace on the basis of the con-
t, cessions already made.
Again, if a purely business transac-
ton were indeed intended, the value OF
the territory offered would be the basis
on which the two parties would treat.
But here even this essential condition is
not observed. The price demanded for
the northern half of the island is 1,20O,-
100000 yen, whic.l is the original estimate
OF the war costs
Possibly Japan may have fixed that
sum with the intention of whiting down
TO some extent later on, but Russia,
mindful of her national honor, of her
military strength and of her historical
traditions, will not and cannot consent to
pay war idemnity, by whatsoever name
1t may be called, nor can she--nor in
deed, the world at large-regard Japan S
proposal as a proof of a genuine desire
for peace.
Japan, having obtained all that she
needed and longed for as a nation. now
narrows down the issue to a question
of dollars and cents, yet refuses for
peace's sake TO waive her demands.
Russia, on the contrary. has conceded
freely and fully everything she coulc
give consistently with her sense of ma
tional honor and dignity. Hence what
to Japan is but matter of money is to
Russia a point of honor. To withdraw
the cash claim is. therefore. immeasur-
ably easier to japan than it would be
for Russia to allow IT.
RUSSIA YET UNCONQUERED.
Russia has suffered reverses, owing to
her own lack of organization, her un-
preparedness and her internal disorders,
but she is still a mighty and uncon-
quered nation, whose people will en-
Enthusiastically uphold their representa-
tives in the firm resolve to keep the ma
tional escutcheon immaculate. Whatever
else may be affirmed or denied of them,
that is true. They alone are the judges
of what can and cannot be done in Rus
sia's name. If. therefore, the efforts of
American friends are TO be crowned with
success. if the labors of the conference
are not TO end in smoke, and if the
effusion Of blood in the Far East is
to be Terminated. 1t behooves japan to
make frank declaration that she with
draw, at once for all and without re-
serve. her demand to have her war costs
paid in any shape or form.
Therefore, despite the positive and
emphatic declaration of the well-meaning
but mistaken journalists alluded to
above. peace is not and cannot be as
sured until Japan unreservedly with
draws her claim to have the cost Of
the campaign refunded by Russia" :"