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Show THE PEACE. - Benjamin Frankljn, the'most pmct leal as well as the most philosophical of all American statesmen, said:' "There never was a good war or a bad peace," and the wisdom of mankind has contlrmed his aphorism. History will probably declare the peace of tho treaty of Portsmouth to be good. It Is a Just peace and, to be hoped, a lasting. Japan has gamed all that Is Just and more than she went to war over, liaron Komura's telegram of August 3, lio:i, to Minister Kurlno, containing contain-ing the proposed "basis of understanding understand-ing between Japan and Russia," contained con-tained three provisions: first, mutual engagement to respect China's and Korean Independence and territory, and the "open door" there; second, reciprocal recognition of Japan's preponderating pre-ponderating Interest In Korea and Russia's special Interests in Manchuria, Man-churia, and their respective right to protect their Inteicsts In each place; reciprocal undertaking of Russia arid Japan not to impede their respective commercial and industrial developments develop-ments In each place. What "the precise agreements will be, only the treaty will show, and It is probable that there will be a secret treaty behind that; as it should not bo forgotten that Komura In Japan and Wltte In Russia before the war represented largely the "community of Interest" Idea which, curiously cuough, put the Maniuls Ito out of tho conference. Enough Is known to lead to tho belief that Russia agrees to evacuate Manchuria, to surrender Its lease of the Manchuria peninsula, including in-cluding Dalny, Port Arthur and the Elliott Islands; surrenders all privileges privi-leges Under Its concession of 18!)8, together to-gether wlt)i the railroad from Harbin south, which goes to China. Chinese "sovereignty" Is to be restored td Manchuria and the Chinese Eastern railway, now owned and controlled and policed by Russia, is to become Chinese. Japanese dominance In, Koiea is conceded Altogether Japan gains greatly and Russia loses wholly the Issues over which was began. In addition Japan gains half or Sakhalen and an Indefinite sum or money, which Is not to be called tribute or Indemnity only payment for cats of prisoners, perhaps. Many Japanese seem to have set their hearts on Indemnity. They forget for-get that indemnity has heretofore only been paid by a conqueror! nation, and generally as a ransom. Russia Is not conducted. No Japanese has set foot on Russian soil except on the isolated iso-lated Island of Sakhalin. Vladlvo-stok Vladlvo-stok has not fallen, even. Japan has merely driven Russia out of Manchuria, Man-churia, a country foreign to both nations, anomalous as that is and has destroyed the major part of the Russian navy. Russia herself is as untouched as the United State would be It England were to destroy our Atlantic fleet drivo us out of Mexico, say, and capture Hawaii. Under those circumstances this nation might makepeace, but It Is unlikely that it would pay Indemnity. The Japanese have no real ground for objections to what their peace envoys havo done for the." have made a Just and magnanimous magnani-mous peace, peace with honor. - |