The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1905-06-09
QUICK PEACE URGED
By President Roosevelt in Conference
With Cassini, the Russian Am
bassador at Washington.

President Roosevelt has made a
decided move for peace in the Far
East. In a conference at the white
house Friday afternoon with Count
Cassini, the Russian ambassador, the
president expressed the earnest hope
that Russia would forthwith conclude
peace with Japan. Prolongaton of the
war, he believes, will not result in
victory for the Russian arms, and can
only serve to increase Japan's de.
mands, and render more diflcTt the
drafting of a treaty Of peace which
the car, as we'll as the mikado, can
sign. The president spoke, he said,
as the friend Of Russia no less than Of
Japan, and on behalf not only Of tho
Washington government, but in the
interest Of humanity.
The president informed the ambas.
sador that in expressing hope for an
early peace he voiced not only his
strongly personal sentiments and those
of his government, but he believed
these were held by all OF the powers.
His opinion was that 1t would be a
mistake for Russia to continue the
war. In addition to the suffering en-.
tailed by the naval conflict he did not
believe that Russia has anything to
win in prolonging hostlllties. The
president did not enter into details,
but the personal character Of the con.
versation and his long acquaintance
with Count Cassini enabled him to
talk plainly regarding the decisive
character OF the Japanese victories.
What Japan's probable peace terms
will be. the president was wholly un-
able to say, but he did not hesitate to
express the opinion that difficult as
these conditions might prove in the
light OF such a victory as that gained
in the Korean straits, they would in
crease in severity with every day that
a state OF war continued
Having received no word from his
government since the annihilauon Of
Rojestyensky's feet, save 10 the brief
Official dispatches telling Of the on.
eagement, Count Cassln! was unable
TO do more than 70 give the pres.
dent his own personal opinions on
the situation. Tie ambassador was
deeply touched by the sincere cordial.
ity Of his reception and the frank and
friendly manner in which the presi
dent spoke. lie could not see, how.
ever, that there was anything in the
present situation, unfortunate as It
undoubtedly was for his government,
which nccessitated Russia's suing for
peace.
Il was he ambassadors firm opin-
ion that this was not the psycholog'
ical moment in which 20 discuss peace
with Japan, whatever might be the
ultimate decision OF his government
He took the ground that Russia could
lose nothing either by waiting or by
continuing the war on land.
There was hope yet OF a victory for
the Russian arms, It was suggested,
and, in any event, Russia had not yet
lost one foot OF territory, nor was
the Russian frontier endangered.
The ambassador pointed out that
there was not the slightest Official in
timation from any source as 10 ia
pans probable terms and that those
demands as stated unoficially were
altogether impossible" II Japan's
terms should prove anything like Sc
we're as they have been reported, It
was the ambassadors opinion that
Russia could advantageously continue
the war indefinitely, and eventually
win a victory on land. That his gov
eminent would so decide he did not
wish TO predict, but, at last accounts,
the emperor was for a continuation
OF the war.
Count Cassini will transmit an hc-
count Of the conference to the car.