Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1905-08-19

Plenipotentiaries Issue an Of
fetal Statement.
PROGRAMME SET; LANGUAGE FIXED
Russian and Japanese Peace Com-
missioners Report Meeting satis-
factory--Itecords to he Ina
English and French.

GhAtrH AhA FhNhtAs
PORTSMOUTH, n. H.. Aug 49,
The crisis IN the peace negotiations
upon which the eyes Of the world arr
Fastened Is approaching rapidly. anc
the end Of this week or the first Of
next week at the latest should witness
the deadlock and the end if the con
ference is TO so TO pieces Two more
OF the twelve articles. Nos, and
have been disposed Of Article 4 con
slsts OF mutual pledges to observe the
integrity Of China and the policy OF
the open door for the commerce Of ali
nations, and article 6 covers the sur
render of the Russian leases to the
Liautong peninsula, Port Arthur, DIAL
ny aud the Blonde and Elliott islands.
To article 4 both parties gave ready
assent and the official statement OF
the adoption OF that article took care
to state that 1t was agreed to sunani-
mously."
Article 5, the consideration of which
was postponed until later provides for
the cession OF Sakhalin island. Dis.
cussion appearing useless at this stage
on account Of the firm negative given
In the Russian reply, 1t was decided
upon the motion OF the Japanese to do
fer Its discussion, thus revealing the
Japanese intention OF postponing to
the end the life and death struggle.
This 10 the usual procedure followed
In diplomatic negotiations, enabling the
negotiators to come to an accord upon
oil possible points before tackling the
crucial issues, and the fact that the
Russians acqulesced In the proposition
shows that they too, are as careful and
anxious as are the Japanese that the
world should not accuse them OF being
responsible for precipitating the break,
II break there Is to be, and wrecking
the conference.
This In itself Is hopeful sign. Be
sides, by postponing the burning ques-
lions to the end the psychological mo-
ment for bargain and compromise ar
rives. Then hurrledly the last trump
cards are played and the game Is done.
And there Is growing hope Of compro-
mise TO the closest observers the
finnl solution begins to crystalline
quite naturally, the Russians yielding
the cession of Sakhalin, Japan forego-
ing 1.-THE cost Of the war; but taking
compensation In the money to be re-
funded to Japan by China on account
OF the transfer to her OF the Chinese
Eastern railroad, the Russian govern
ment property In Port Arthur and Dali,
ny and remuneration for the mainte-
nance of the 100000 Russian prisoners
In Japan.
According to the Russian view, ia
pan has already secured ~ - a-rs--.>''
than she dreamed riaiming Def0re
tl1a xs<v 1r4sfsf upon foe who has
still 900, 200 men confronting her In the
field footing the bill for the cost Of the
war as the price of peace would, the
Russians say, change the character OF
the military struggle henceforth from
one for certain principles to one for the
exaction Of 'blood money" All ques-
lions relating to Korea and Manchuria
except the cession Of the Chinese East
ern railroad and the main Siberian line
running through northern Manchuria
from the station "Manchuria," on the
Amur, via Hardin to Vladivostok are
settled in the five articles already
adopted.