The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-08-17
NJ. Witte Doing All in His Power for
Peace.
CRISIS COMES ON MONDAY
INDEMNITY DEMAND MAY BE
DODGED.

70 CoIicluue q treaty 1nOuSh the main
points remain to be contested, and the
plenipotentiaries speak as though the
conference would go to pieces unless
the other side gave way, the spirit of
compromise is in the air. When ne re-
turned to the hotel tonight, Mr.. Witte.
who was tired out with his hard days
work said.
Il am doing all ] can do for peace
OF the eight articles we have already
considered 1 have yielded seven. No
other statesman in Russia would have
dared TO do so much, and l have done
what have done on my own response
bility-"
Crisis Comes Monday.
From an authoritative source it is
now possible to forecast with Il fair
degree of accuracy that the crisis will
come on next Monday Articles and
s. dealing with the fate of the Chinese
Eastern railway, having been disposed
oI Today, there remains. in addition to
the cession of Sakhalin, which was
passed over, the question of indemnity
Which comes up tomorrow as article 9.
the limitation of Russias sea power in
the far east. the surrender of the in
termed warships. and the grant to Jap
anese of fishing rights on the coast
north OF VladiVOstok.
Absolute Negative.
To all except the latter. to which
Russia will agree, d negative answer
has been returned, absolutely in the
case of indemnity and Sakhalin. Per-
haps both the others may be modified
and accepted by Mr.. White in order to
strengthen his position in insisting
upon a. concession from Japan regard
ing its demands of an indemnity and
Sakhalin
Before yielding on either of the lat
ter II can be regarded as practically
certain that Mr. Witte would consult
the emperor.
Emperors Will Decide.
The exchange of views on the five
remaining articles IS expected to be
completed on Friday or Saturday morn
ing at the latest. The plenipotentiaries
viii then adjourn until Monday. and
the interim viii probably be used by
the plenipotentiaries 10 consult their
respective governments. When they
meet~ou Monday their last cards wiz
De thrown upon the table. If there is
10 be bargaining it VIII come then. and
suddenly the conference Will be over
and peace viii be assured. The pleni-
potentiaries viii come together with
protocols drawn up to sign, and part.
or all remain for the elaboration Of the
treaty of Washington"
Yesterdays Work.
Articles Z and were disposed of to-
day, the former lin principle" the lat
ter unanimously" according to the
official bulletins Article 7 provides
for the cession to China of the branch
OF the Chinese Eastern railroad running
south from Hardin to Port Arthur and
Dalny, and with a branch line connect
ing at New Chwang with the Shan Hal
kwan-Tien Tsin road.
Article provides for the retention
by Russia of the line through northern
Manchuria which forms the connect
inc It'll e. H.
siberian and the Usurri railroad with
its terminal at Vladivostok and Har-
horovsk-
Russia's Sacrifice.
From both sides the Associated Press
IS informed that the acceptance lin
principle of article Z only means that
certain phases remain to be elaborated.
not that dispute still exists But this
may be possibly only "A Convenient
method of postponing until the final
struggle the acceptance of an article
which would be used in the ultimate
compromise Russia, by the accept
ance or these two articles in connbc-
ton with articles 2, 3. 4 and 6 surren-
derS every Vestige Of her ambition in
Manchuria. She closes the door to the
warm water, ice free port Of DaInv.
upon which she lavished her millions
and retains only the Pacific railroad
the link of the railroad connecting her
European possessions with the mari
time provinces upon the Pacific The
right TO police il with Russian troops
or railroad guards is given I'D. and its
protection viii become the duty of
China The Chinese Eastern road is
T-shaped- The stem runs from Har-
bin south, the ton from the station
Manchuria on the Amur TO Pogranitch-
uaia, where IL connects with the gov
ernment-owned Usurrf road to the
coast.
Brought on the War.
1t was this Cutoff which more
than anything else. paved the way for
what is known as the 'AIanchurian ad-
venture" changing the whole plan of
M Wltte, while minister of finance. His
OBJECT had been only TO make OF the
Taiienwan. or Dalny, "a commercial
entry port for foreign trade but with
the stragetlc railroad behind them. the
war party's aggressive policy began.
The original intention had been 70 build
the trans Siberian road entirely ira
Russian territory north Of the Anur
river, which makes a great curve north
ward forming the Manchurian bouii-
dairy. When the concession of the
cut-on was obtained from China
through LlOung Chang the Chfeese
Eastern railroad cOmDany was formed
by NJ White, then ministcr OF finance.
TO build it and later another concession
was obtained to connect IL with Port
Arthur and Dalny- The shares OF the
100000, which in the form of sim
gle certificate are held IN the Golfers
of the Russo-China bank as trustee
The 4 per cent bonds issued from time
to time for its construction were guar
anteed by the Russian government and
the amount to over 5000. 0OO. GOO The
bonds, as far as possible. We're sold to
bankers and the public. They were
listed on the stock exchanges in Russia.
Berlin and Paris and are now selling
at between 81 and 50.
Millions Lost.
The Russian minister Of finance has
annually paid not the interest on the
bonds, but the deficits III the operating
expenses which have been heavy As
about half this money went into the
Port Arthur branch the Russian treas
ury is out Of pocket about half the
total outlay Her only hope Of saving
anything is to arrange with China
Continued on Page 2.