Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-03
The PEACE OF PORTSMOUTH.


into the peace of Portsmouth amid the no
-. xannas OF the civilized world
1so0sove1rs The prayer for peace with
PreStdge. which the President OF the
United States received the en-
voys OF Russia and Japan on the Mayfiowe1
has been heard and peace reigns in the far
east. The chief envoy OF Russia In the In.
ception OF the conference and doubtful Of
the result paid a flattering tribute Of praise
ITO the great force that had Effected halt
in the war. great thing for humanity. a
great inspiration and q great hope for the
future" The Inspiration. and 1t should be
added the persistence in the possibility OF
Erecting peace, belongs, no one doubts it, to
Mr.. Theodore Roosevelt. the President OF
the United States. whose particular person.
atty and prestige neither of the emperors
at st. Petersburg and Tokyo could with
stand
The part taken in efrecting peace at Ports
mouth has won for the President the paeans
Of the world, and Americans must feel a
just pride in the achievement The nation
as well gains in the consideration of the
world, which may no longer ascribe to It's
desire for expansion the sinister motive for
empire.
On the 10Th ultimo NJ White addressed
Emperor Nicholas the following cablegram
announcing peace:
Il have the honor to report to your
majesty that Japan has agreed to your de-
mands concerning the conditions of peace,
and that consequently peace will be estab-
fshed. thanks to your wise and firm de-
cision. and in strict conformity wifi, the in
structiors Of your majesty Russia will re-
"a Sf he
She hitherto has been and will be forever
We have applied to the execution of your
orders all our intelligence and our Russian
hearts. We beg your majesty mercifully to
forgive that We have been unable to do
more"
II Is too early to forecast the results of
the peace effected between Russia and ia
pan m Its effect upon those countries.
Without an appeal to the psychological it
may prove instructive to cite what M.
wife SAD on his arrival in America: 1T is
NY dfoent desire that the two chivalrous
Ioes who first became acquainted on the
Leio OF battle may find in each others ster-
ing qualities, motives powerful enough to
cultivate that acquaintanceship until 1t
,,pems INTO iastlng friendship" This ex-
preston may have been the language of d.
piomacy, but In view of the Russians blunt
ness and frankness it might imply that a
rapprochement between Russia and Janan
was aiready In the mind of the envoy. A
telegram from Portsmouth on the 3Ist NJ
timo lends credence to that suggestion. II
says: The report is current that a secret
Japan" i'o''i" anu
1t would not be strange indeed ~ with
the. extraordinary tact and skill manifested
py NJ Witte In the conference at Ports
mouth II he. In concert with the conserya-
yves az Tokyo, do not bring their countries
INTO lasting friendship" Certainly the
cessation
Japan before either have reached the point
OF exhaustion may prove a disappointment
70 inc power or powers who may have
"Isneo Tor such a consummation
1t Is Too early likewise to forecast the re-
SUITS OF the peace at Portsmouth to our
own country. The Chinese boycott of
american goods. and more recently the af-
dalr OF the Hankow railroad concession,
Company, and taken over by China. are
incidents that bode no good to American in
terests In that country.
Inc New York Times OF the Both uItimo
States shall not be likely to lose sight of
any measures Japan may adopt in pursuing
her policy of commercial DEVELOPMENT din
China). she Will be our very formidable
rival xN perhaps an altogether successful rival,
LOT the trade of eastern Asia
X
Inc scenes fancied or real which marked
the closing hours or the elimination of
events in the conference were
highly dramatic. Baron
scenes. Komura and M. White were
the actors upon whom all at
tention has been riveted. Baron Komura
throws his cards upon the council table.
do you accept?" NO" says the Russian,
Il refuse. The game is up; war is the only
solution" And then Baron Komura gravely
adds. I'VE waive indemnity and concede
the one-half Of Sakhalini" M. Witte re-
plies, II accept" and the drama is con-
cluded.
NJ. Whites return to the Hotel Wentworth
was an ovation; not to the Russian, who is
not popular In America, but to the man
whose strong personality has dominated
and impressed the Japanese ENJOYS, and
conquered and attracted the American pub
lie despite their prejudices.
As the colossal Russian mounted the
stairway Of the hotel the madding crowd
followed. cheered. cried. "Excellency. the
termsr Pas un sou. pas un verste, seule-
ment la moitie de Sakhalin-not a cent,
not mile Of territory only the half of
Sakhalin. and that by order of my master.
the emperor!"
to Marc Antony. forgot Its animosities, and
under the spell of the mans genius threw
up their hats. and cried with deafening
shouts. 'Vive la Russie!''
Sakhalin, what Is Sakhalin? An island
north Of Vladivostok. $4,000. square miles, a
narrow strip. cold, barren and almost i'm
possible of exploitation because of the
severity of the climate; the sky is always
overcast; the sea Is frozen in winter. ice
strewn in summer. Nobody is ever warm
on Sakhalin. The climate is that of Siberia
The writer was In Vladivostok in October
1883. Already winter had come and the
dull. leaden skies were almost suicidal. A
number of exiles or released prisoners from
Sakhalin had left there to seek the more
genial climate Of Vladivostok! Heaven
save the mark! But Sakhalin possesses
coal, even II 1t may not be mined readily.
Then there are petroleum, fish. sea lions
and bear, foxes, sable. antelope and rein
deer. Sakhalin fish for fertilizing the soil
was formerly the chief importation to Japan
and this may be again a favorite industry.
The Paris public is greatly stirred over
the unexpected outcome Of the conference,
and ascribes it to President Roosevelt on
the one hand and to NJ. Witte on the other.
LIE Matin of the 10Th ultimo says:
IN. Roosevelt is the grand conqueror;