New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-10-01
Anglo-AmerlCan Memories
CXXXX.
Mr.. THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
Copyright iolL George W. smarey,

tiary only on the condition that in no
circumstances should he be required to
assent 20 an indemnity He thought it
possible TO bring pressure on Count
Witte and his colleagues. He believed
Japan would persist, as he thought she
had right to persist, in the exaction
OF these 5000 900, and that il they
were not paid the Conference would
break up and the war be renewed
Hence his memorable attempt TO in
duce the Emperor Of Russia to give
way In his zeal the President had long
since forgotten that he was not going to
try TO make the two Powers drink OF
the stream TO the banks Of which he had
brought them. He kept the wires be-
tween oyster Bay and Portsmouth hot.
and presently the cable 10 St. Peters
burg was heated seven times hotter. He
instructed his Ambassador. Mr.. Never.
to ask Al audience Of the Emperor and
to urge upon him that he should sur
render 70 this japanese demand. Mr..
Meyer was 10 lay before the Emperor
the reasons of the President for his
yielding. The Emperor received the
Presidents Ambassador, listened 10 him,
ana finally told him that a formal an
swer would be sent him by the Foreign
ONCE. 1t came as a document Of 500
words to 60 by cable. and cabled it was
TO Oyster Bay. The 500 words could all
be condensed into a mouosyllable:
No"
The President, naturally, was dis
satisfied, and directed his Ambassa-
dor 10 see the Emperor again and renew
his appeal Mr. Meyer did as he was
told and again the answer, much briefer
than at first, was refusal. The Presi-
dent-it is all but incredible vet true
sent Mr.. Meyer a third time to the En-
peror, and a third time the refusal was
given; this third time with a peremptory
brevity which even the President under
stood 70 be final When Count Witto
described to me what had taken place
he added:
Il do not think His Imperial Majesty,
my Master is in the habit Of being
asked three times whether he means
what he says"
BY this time the President was
alarmed, and with good reason. A
great change had occurred. When the
two Embassies arrived in the United
States. public opinion beyond all doubt,
was on the side Of Japan. Before a
fortnight had passed it veered about
and became largely Russian. will ex-
plain why later. Now il is only neces-
sary TO say that Count White had shown
himself open minded to the Press and
had stated TO the American journalists
day by day the Russian case with con-
summate skill. The Japanese held aloof
Count KOmura saw no journalist.
Baron Takahira, having been Minister
at Washington and better understand
ing American ways, was nevertheless
forced 10 be silent. So with the Russian
arguments and facts daily spread before /
them, and nothing, or almost nothing,
from Japan. the American people were
naturally and inevitably Influenced by
what they read: and began 10 believe
that the Russians must be in the right.
Now. no man ever read more quickly
and surely the minds Of the American
people than did Mr.. Roosevelt. He saw
what was happening. He became anx-
i0us about his COnferenCe-for his Con-
ference it was. And when once he be- ,
came convinced that Russia would never
pay the S6OO,OO0,OOO he executed a COM
plete UOlte-fdce and told the astonished
japanese whose demand he had vigOr-
ously supported that the demand must
be withdrawn He cabled Toxic as he
had cabled st. Petersburg, only In an
opposite sense. He warned Toxic and
the japanese PleniUotentiaries alike that
they had alienated in a great measure /
the good viii Of the American nation, |
and that the only way 10 recover it was /
TO renounce their claim for an indem-
nifty He told them OF his own amowl-
edge that whether they renowned It OF
not they never could get the money for
Russia never would pay it. And he pre-
vailed. The Japanese withdrew their
demand, peace was made. the Presi-
dents Conference. which more than once
had been on the point Of breaking up,
came to an agreement, and the world
breathed freely again
With what feelings toward Mr.. Roose-
Welt the Japanese departed from Ports
mouth I dare not conjecture. He had
forced them 10 act wisely, and they
probably knew that their decision was
wise If only because it was inevitable.
Ru+ no man likes to be forced to be
wise. The japanese, if the truth may
Ice told. had arrived at Portsmouth in an
arragant mood. They left it in a chast-
ened mood. Victors i'm great war
thew had not been victors in the Con-
ference They had been outgeneralled
t,, Count Witte. They had been forced
10 abandon their claim for war in
demnitv-money which they had re-
garded as already in their pockets.
--beir prestige had suffered a cruel blow.
Their popularity I'm America was grleN-
o,,s1v impaired For all this they held
the President responsible. For some
mart Of 1t he undoubtedly was respon-
eifIe We remain on good terms with
Tauan. for reasons Of selI-interest on
HORN sides. But if you ask American
travellers whether Americans are popu-
lar in Toxic and throughout Japan you
,,s,. he told that the japanese are any
thing but grateful for the part we played
~ Portsmouth. and that they are not
likely soon to forget what share Pres!-
.o,+ Roosevelt had in their humilia-