OCR Text |
Show JAPAN HAS HER PORTSMOUTH. Kussia had her Mukden and now Japan ha her Portsmouth. Such is the briefest way to announce the end of hostilities in the Far East. Kussia is beaten in war, but triumphant for peace. Triumphant Triumph-ant because she rejected the main propositions of indemnity and total loss of the island of Sakhalin, and because Japan yielded the contention and withdrew the proposals. With those obstacles removed, re-moved, all is now clear sailing for the preparation of a treaty to be signed by the plenipotentiaries of both countries. This in short is the story which few hardly expected would be told on last Tuesday. How it happened and why it happened, our readers may learn by turning to the first page of this paper. pa-per. While everybody but his enemies in Kussia praise the diplomacy of M. dc Witte which, along with the good offices of President Kooscvelt, were the chief factors in bringing peace, in the same br.eath .we are told that Japan yielded because she wanted to show magnanimity to a beaten foe. Write magnanimity over the surrender of a hold-up tb the man he would have robbed and Ave have the Japanese definition of the word.. -The demand for a billion dollars for Avar expenses was made at first, and then scaled down in much the fashion that a second-hand dealer endeavors to effect a sale. The Japanese never expected that Russia would pay such a large sum, and were not sure that any sum would be paid in tribute to the na- tion that began war contrary to civilized usage. The Japanese knew that Russia had a billion roubles rou-bles in its Avar chest, and they made a bluff to continue the war unless this chest Avas sent oA'er to Tokio. But the bluff failed. Russia's determination determi-nation to pay not a kopek in tribute won the day. Russia cotdd continue tlte war though its armies were driven into Siberia, and even into Russia in Europe, Japan could not folloAV up its victory and soon would be at the end of its financial resources. Therefore it was expediency and not magnanimity magnanim-ity which controlled . the action of the Japanese plenipotentiaries at Plymouth. Xevertheless the war has been a lesson for Russia. Rus-sia. Although at immense sacrifice of life and distress of the common people, it will prove a blessing to the survivors and to the peasants who now have a voice in the affairs of government inaugurated in-augurated under the duoma. But for war and defeat de-feat in war, such reforms would not have been considered. con-sidered. The beaurocracy of Russia has been humbled and out of tribulation will spring into being something like a representative govern- ment ' '. ,' ' |