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Show THE .WILY LITTLE JAP AS A DIPOLMAT. Whatever may be the result of the present peace conference at , Portsmouth, N. EL, the referee will have to give the diplomats from , ' tha llikado's realm the first fall. Those.who have been watching : proceedings closely will remember that on the first day the Japan-czb Japan-czb envoys did not present their credentials, as had be6n agreed. ; . r.ussia's representatives" were ready with theirs, but the Japs said ' , they had left their papers at the hotel. They could send one of their attaches down for them or wait until the next day. Meantime, in crdcr to expedite matters, they might inspect the Russians' papers. ' ' .-' 7 ' Y 7 Shrewd as Witte and Rosen are supposed to be, they were ta- AV Lea la completely by one of the smoothest tricks in the history of V- diplomacy. The Japanese, without showing their own credentials, ' Vy "' leisurely inspected those of the enemy's representatives and then announcd that they would present their own papers the next day. . Witte did not see the full significance of the ruse until the next day. Neither did any of the correspondentsv stationed at Ports- niouthw As the Japanese had planned, everybody passed the inci- . dent by as trivial. ' But the enlightenment came, though slowly. Then there was much speculation, suspicion, and gossip. Witte presented a note of protest. But it was too late. In good time the Japanese envoys presented their credentials, and it now develops that they had half a dozen sets on hand. . They wished to find out the terms of the Russians' orders, and with what : authority they had been clothed. After this had been ascertained they produced a set of credentials that corresponded, granting them practically the same authority as had the Czar's men no more, no ' jess. V'ith their overwhelming victories by force of arms and this no lc:3 important conquest in the field of diplomacy, the world will rcnarJ with rcrpect; if not with fear, the prowess cf the little brown men.'- . '. v . |