The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-08-24


general character of Japan's sO-called
new proposal with which il is con-
tended Russia can close without loss
of dignity. The regTeta bic mistake into
which the representatives Of those jour
nails have undoubtedly fallen is obvi-
Ously the result of misleading data
leavened with real but secondary facts.
Thus il is quite true. as those papers
predicted, that the ENJOYS OF Japan
came forward at todays sitting with
a proposal which was new in form but
old IN substance. It Is equally true
that that proposal lacks the two con-
tentions clauses STIMULATING that Rus
STA shall surrender to Japan her dis
armed warshio and limit her naval
strength on the Pacific, and that it
reduces the differences between the
two powers to the. compass of what is
in appearance single question, the
sale of Sakhalin.
Same Old Proposition.
Seemingly, therefore, Japan has also
struck her pen through the most OBJ
noXious clause of all-that which deals
with iudemnity-and all that she now
asks Russia TO do. IN addition 10 the
terms already agreed upon. is to pur-
chase the northern half of Sakhalin
Tor a sum of 100000, 900 yen, and this
alleged simplification Of terms is sup
posed TO provide Russia with an ac-
ceptable basis for a peace treaty. At
first sight the offer may perhaps seem
new to some but a closer examination
VIII show IT 10 be in all essentials fden-
tcaI with the proposal already rejected
by .Russia's Observation-Disclosures ONLY a
person unfamiliar with war. i'm love
with humanitarianism. foreign 10 Rus
STA and Incompetent TO Judge of Rus
STA national honor and dignity. could
decry In those terms the source of a
new impulse given to the peace nego-
Int
committed by those who imagined that
the plenipotentiaries of the car. the
representatives of the Russian nation
would take the husk for the kernel
the shadow for the substance. A per
son of average Intelligence can see that
Tnat IS new in this proposal is the
phraseology IN which it is cOuched.
Put Forward as Blind.
The elimination of the two clauses
stipulatins that Russia's disarmed war
SHIPS. be handed over tO-Japan and her
naval strength on the Pacific be re-
stricteq bring IN no new element into
the trapsactiO For the withdra wal
or these claims. which were obviously
put forward with the intention of bel
ing waived in the course of the nego-
tiations. is devoid OF Importance. The
disarmed ships in question are Russia's
by right, and to ask they be hand
q
OF the law OF nations. Again. the linn
station of Russia's navaIy effectiveness
on the Pacific is meaningless because
she VIII be unable for quarter or. If
may be half century To dispose of
MHShlps enough TO keep a squadron
there equal 10 Japan's. while il would
ne 1fultless to maintain a smaller one
Consequently, to speak of those things
as concessions is but to pIav with
words. It is equally childish to affirm
that Japan foregoes her claim for an
indemnity because the new proposal |
does not actually mention it,
Purely Fictitious.
IAN that she does is to join the cues
ton of Sakhalin with that of cash
payment and to insist upon war costs
under the name of purchase money.
The transaction is fictitious and the
terminology misleading. IF what il
proposes be In truth a purchase and !
sale IT should be treated as such and !
therefore should Russia decline to bUv |
the territory Japan should keep il and !
conclude peace on the basis of the con-
cesslons already made. Again If /
purely business transaction were in
deed intended the value of the terri
tory offered would be, the basis on I
which the two parties would treat !
BUT here even this essential condition
Is not observed. The price demanded
Tor the northern half OF the island is /
200, 600 600 yen. which is the original !
estimate of the war costs Possibly !
Japan may have fixed that sum with /
the intention of whiting it down to /
some extent later on but Russia !
mindful OF her national honor. of her /
military strength and Of her historical |
fractions VIII not and can not consent |
70 pay "A war indemnity. by whatsoever 7
name II may be called. nor can she. nor |
indeed the world at large. regard Ia /
pan proposal as proof of genuine \
desire for peace.
Point of Honor.
Japan having obtained all that she /
needed and Ionged for as A nation now
rarrows down the issue to a question I
of dOllrs and cents. yet refuses for 7
peace's sake to waive her demands !
Russia. on the contrary has conceded !
freely. and fully everything she could |
give consistently with her sense of ma !
tionai houor and dignity. Hence what !
70 Japan is but-a matter of money is 1
10 Russia a point Of honor. To with
draw the cash claim is therefore i'm
meaSurahly easier to japan than II 4
would be for Russia TO allow H. Rus
STA has suffered reVerses owing to her
own lack OF organization. her unpre- /
paredness and her internal disorders. /
but she is still a mighty and uncOn- /
quered nation. whose people viii enthu- I
siaSticaiiy uphold their representatives (
I'm the firm resolve to keep the national /
escutcheon immaculate. Whatever else 4
may be affirmed or denied of them that /
is true. They alone are the Judges of /
what can and cannot be done in Rus 4
sias name
Must Withdraw Demand
IF. therefore. the efforts of Ameri- I
can friends are to be crowned with sue /
cess. if the labors Of the conference
are not TO end in smoke. and if the
eftuSion OF blood in the far east is TO !
be terminated. it behooves Japan to |
make frank declaration that she |
withdraw once for all and without re- |
serve. her demand 10 have her war
costs paid in any shape or form. There
fore despite the positive and emphatic /
declaration OF the well meaning but |
mistaken journalists alluded to above.
Continued on PAGE 2