Salt Lake Tribune | 1905-08-13 | Page 4 | Status of Negotiations

STATUS OF NEGOTIATIONS. It will be remembered that one of the most exasperating Incidents leading up to the war between Russia and Japan, was tho extreme delay that Russia made In replying to each of the Japanese Japan-ese notes. But certainly no such complaint com-plaint can attach to the Russian treatment treat-ment of Japanese peace terms. Tho nature na-ture of these terms seem to have electrified elec-trified Russia to the point of Instant nction. If the same celerity had been shown In replies prior to tho opening of the war, It Is possible that the outbreak of hostilities might not have taken place. Not only does Russia reply lnstanter to Japanese peace .terms, but she hints that she wants no delay In tho trans-missal trans-missal of Japan's rejoinder. Nor, Indeed, In-deed, should there be any need of delay if the Russian niiBwer is as intimated In the dispatches a fiat refusal to agree to the terms. If this Is the case, then Indeed was tho meeting of the commissioners so brief that it would hardly seem worth while for them to have met at all. 1 It Is clear that some of the demands of Japan might have been put lnv as makeweights, and to nllow of further negotiations. But not bo tho main points, especially those whereby Japan expects to reap the legitimate fruits of her victories, and to make herself absolutely ab-solutely securo for the futuro agalnBt Russian aggression. These will have to stand If Japan Is to be safe. And wo Imagine that It Is Just thoso things which Russia would be tho most peremptory per-emptory in rejecting. Evidently tho Russians do not feel themselves thoroughly thor-oughly whipped yet, and this Is a condition con-dition which the Japs will have to reduce re-duce them to before the peace treaty can be assured.