Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-08-22
Hesitation Over SakhaIin
and Indemnity
Articles.
JAPS ARE DELIBERATE
Presidents Advice May be
Taken in Last Hope of
AVerting a Rupture.

Portsmouth, Aug. 22.-At o'clock
today a personal representative of
President Roosevelt was cIoseted with
Witte and Baron Rosen in the naval
stores building. The appointment for
the conference was made through Sec
retary Pierce last night. It is not yet
known who the emissary of the pres
ident is.
CONFERENCE IL BRIEF.
The conference, which is supposed
TO have begun at 1880, ended at 2:1o,
and Rosen entered an automobile and
returned to the hotel.
The presidents messenger remained
behind in the naval stores BUILDING
and iunched with Secretary Pierce.
KEPT SECRET.
The greatest care has been taken to
prevent the fact of the secret meeting
from being made public. II has been
'nt'mated that Witte and Rosen had
gone to York harbor for ride.
The true reason for the postpone
ment Of today's session Of the confer
ehee is now apparent.
RETURNS TO OYSTER BAY.
Portsmouth, Aug. 22.-McGaw, the
messenger to the peace ENJOYS. took
the sos train for Oyster Bay. He
would not say whether he bore a mes
sage from the Russians to the presi-
dent.
PROTOCOLS NOT READY
Portsmouth, Aug. 22.-It has been
decided to postpone until tomorrow the
meeting Of the peace conference which
was to have TAX. place this afternoon.
Failure Of the secretaries to complete |
the protocols is given as the reason
The following official bulletin was is
sued:
lowing to the impossibility Of fin
ishing before this afternoon Of the |
work of preparing protocols of the |
meetings Of the conference, today's |
meeting has been adjourned until 9: 80
Wednesday morning"
Another Reason.
Another and more potent reason for
the pOstponement of the meeting of the
plenipotentiaries was the fact that
Witte had not received the final word
from St. Petersburg he had expected
this morning.
As the situation now stands. Mr..
Wftte could not. if he would. cede or
compromise on either the Sakhalin or
indemnity articles, The instructions
given him by the emperor before he eft
st. Petersburg precluded the possibil-
ity of either. and it can be stated up to
the present hour every message he has
received indirectly or directly from the
emperor, shows no sign of any change
of mind
Has Unanimous support.
And from private advices. advisers |
whom the emperor is consulting seem |
practically unanimous in support of the |
view that further concessions are in !
consistent with Russian dignity and /
honor" and that unless Japan is pre-
pared to yield something substantial
il is better TO continue the war
May Take RoosevcIt's Advice.
There is still a possibility that the |
emperor will take Rooseyelt's advice |
and take the only step which the pres |
ident thinks can save the conference |
from shipwreck. The presidents sug |
gestion is not general and vague. but |
quite concrete. II it is finally rejected !
IL is said not to involve a specific an |
swer. but Witte is anxious the emperor
shall have full time TO deliberate and |
the japanese have no desire TO force |
the issue
They will welcome few days of if |
the delay keeps the door to peace |
opened
Have Proposition 10 Make.
There is a strong intimation the |
Japanese are prepared to make pro !
position when the conference reassem- |
bleS. But there is nothing TO indicate |
they are prepared to recede on either ,
Sakhalin or indemnity articles.
Were I'm Communication.
Witte and Rosen were with Pierce |
at the navy yard from 1880 a. m. 10 |
l:10 p. m. which is believed to make |
il probable the Russian plenipoJenti- /
aries were in communication with the !
president at Oyster Bay. It IS sup |
posed the message sent by the presi- |
dent was the result OF Baron Kaneko's |
visit TO Oyster Bay yesterday. The !
messenger from President Roosevelt |
was named McGaw. and he brought a |
message in writing from the president /
for the Russian ENJOYS.
Dull at Oyster Ray.
Oyster Bay, Aug. 22.-WhiIe presi-