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Show THE CRUEL WAR IT LAST EH Japanese Waive Indemnity and Divide Sakhalin With the Russian Qovcrnmcnt. Sudden Conclusion of Term Detween Warring Nations Conies as Pleas-tag Pleas-tag Surprise Just When It Looked Mot Gloomy for an Agree-ment, Agree-ment, Portsmouth, N. II. Tho long and bloody war between Japan and Russia is ended. Tho terms of peaco woro agreed upon by M. Wltto nnd Ilaron Komura at tho session of tho confer-onco confer-onco Tuesday morning, and Tuesday afternoon preliminary nrrnngements for an nrmlstlco wero concluded nnd tho actual work of framing tho "treaty of Portsmouth" wns by mutual agreement agree-ment turned over to M. Do Mnrtcns, Ilussln's great International lawyer, and Mr. Dennlson, who for twonty-flvo years has acted as tho legal adviser of tho Japanese foreign olllco. This happy conclusion of tho conference, con-ference, which n week ago would hnvo been shipwrecked had It not been for tho heroic Intercession of President Ilooscvelt, wns sudden nnd dramatic. For tho sake of peace, Japan, with tho mngnanlmlty of a victor, nt tho last moment yielded everything still In Issue Is-sue Itussla refused to budge from tho ultimatum Emperor Nicholas had glv-en glv-en to President Iloosovolt through Embassador Meyer. No Indemnity under un-der any gulso, hut nn agreement to divide di-vide Sakhalin nnd relmburso Japan for tho maintenance of prisoners woro his Inst words. They hnd been repeatedly reiterated In M. Wltto's Instructions, and, In tho form of n written reply to tho Jnpanoso compromise com-promise proposal of last week, they woro delivered to Ilaron Komura, At. Wltte feared a rupture and ns ho expressed It afterward, ho was stunned by what happened. Ilaron Komura gave way on all tho disputed points. With the prescience that hns enabled the Japanese to gauge tho mental processes of their adversaries on tho field of battle nnd upon the sen, they had realized In advance Hint pence could ho obtained In no other way. They had warned their government. govern-ment. President Kooseovlt hnd also, It Is believed, advised Jnpan that It wae better to meet tho ltusslan position than to take the responsibility of continuing tho war for the purpose of collecting tribute. Tho mikado, at the advice of tho cabinet and elder statesmen, hnd sanctioned tho llnnl concession. When Ilaron Komura yielded, the rest was mero child's play. Article 10 and 11 (Interned warships nnd tho limitation of Russia's sea power In tho far east) wero withdrawn. with-drawn. Jnpan agreed that only that portion of tho Chinese Eastern railroad rail-road south of Chantfu, tho position occupied by Oyama, should be ceded to Japan. Both sides, onco tho deadlock dead-lock was broken, wanted a "Just and lasting" peace, and In that respect It was decided to neutrallzo Sakhalin, each country binding Itself not to fortify for-tify Its half of the Island, nnd Japan assuming an obligation not to fortify La Perouso strait, betweon Snkhalln nnd Hokkaido, which would bar Russia's Rus-sia's commercial route to tho Pacific. Tho plenipotentiaries went further. They decided to ndd a new clause In the nnturo of a broad provision for mutual commercial privileges by which each country will securo for the other tho benefit of tho "most favored nation" clause and "tho open door." The new treaty, therefore, will bo a wonderfully friendly document, of n character nlmost to rnlso the suspicion sus-picion that the two countries have not negotiated pence, but have concluded the basis of a future alliance. Thero is, howovor, no evidence, ns rumored, thnt any secret clauses are to bo ap pended to tho presont treaty. Before leaving tho conference building build-ing felicitations wero exchanged with the president nt Oyster Hny. Both Baron Komura nnd M. Wltto telegraphed. tele-graphed. The former confined himself him-self to apprising Mr. Ilooscvelt of the conditions upon which peace had been concluded. M. Wltte frankly laid his tribute at the president's feet. In his message ho said "History will nscrlho to you tho !lory,"and ndded the expression of Ilussln's hearty appreciation of tho president's "genorous Inltlntlvo." Mr. Roosevelt replied with words of thanks nnd congratulation. |
