Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1905-08-25

accomplished much, using his good
Offices to impress on each side the
necessity of mutual concessions, and
both sides have already yielded a
great deal to his persuasion. Only a
single point still separates them. but
it is. as it has been from the begin
ming, the crux.
It was Mr.. Roosevelt's compromise
proposition which Baron Komura for
mally presented at Wednesdays meet
ing, in which Japan agreed to entirely
withdraw articles 10 and II (the sur.
render of interned warships and lin.
ttation of Russia's naval force in the
Far East) and to substitute for art
icles and 8 (cession of Sakhalin and
indemnity a new article providing
for an arrangement by which Japan
should get legal title to the southern
half of Sakhalin. which she possessed
before the treaty of 1875, while Russia
should redeem or repurchase her title
to the northern half of the island for
1900, 100000 yen, or $6OO,OOO,00O.
While it is Mr.. Roosevelt's PROPOSE.
ton in substance the Associated Press
is Informed that as offered it varies
slightly from the terms Of the COM
promise as the president suggested it
to both sides. In exactly what par
ticular cannot be ascertained. Rus
STA. it can be stated, while rejecting
the compromise because it included
remuneration for cost of the war I'M.
der another name, was willing and
indeed offered to divide the island of
Sakhalin by not only restoring the
status quo existing before the treaty
of 1875, but to delimit the frontier
and forever renounce all claim to the
southern half.
Indemnity Blocks Agreement.
With articles 10 and II out of the
way by Japanese recession and article
8 settled by compromise the only
thing which remained was the ques-
ton Of indemnity. Under the finan-
cial head Russia offers to pay literally
for the maintenance of the Russian
prisoners in Japan. Her cession Of
the Chinese Eastern railroad also will
place tidy sum in the Japanese ex-
chequer, but further than that M.
White has as yet no instructions to go.
So the situation stood when the con-
ference adjourned until Saturday. But
the president did not surrender. He
carried his appeal for peace to the
throne of Romanoffs, to the author of
the dream of reduced ornaments and
universal peace. Ambassador Meyers
three-hour audience with Emperor
Nicholas during the very time when
the plenipotentiaries at the maynard
were explaining to each other their
irreoancilable differences may have
proved the deciding factor. There Is
yet no clue to the response Mr.. Meyer
received from Emperor Nicholas, but
1t is already In President Roosevelt's
possession and he is in a position to
determine his next step. If the en-
peror declined absolutely to yield
there may be still time to turn to
Toxic for a last appeal to forego
$500 100000 or $400,000,00O rather
than protract the war indefinitely at
the cost of millions In money and
thousands of lives. with no surety that
she will ever be able, whatever her
military successes, to force tribute
from her burly adversary.
Now, too. In the final struggle the
influence of the neutral powers and
the threats Of financiers can be
brought t. bear to forae the combat
ants to cease the bloody strife which
has been going on for nineteen
months.