Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1881-04-28
THE RUSSIAN DICTATOR.
The Rise of Loris Melikoff to Power-Pe-
culiarities of Russian Favorites.

The Rise of Loris Melikof to Power-Pe-
culiarities of Russian Favorites.
No minister ever received more unlimited
power from the hands Of his sovereign than
Loris Meiikoff This man, comparatively I'M
known the day before, became at once the
second emperor" of Russia. His appoint
ment fell upon the court, the capital and the
whole realm like thunderbolt Few persons
knew who he was, no one could explain why he
had been selected IN preference to scores of
men who seemed to be called in advance 10
represent the car and enforce his wishes. 1t
was finally suggested that word from the
Princess Dolgorouki had operated the mira
Gle. Uujustitied as the suggestion may be by
remains the most plausible that has been Of
fered so far.
Loris Melikoff was born at Moscow in 1924.
He Is the son of an Armenian merchants fact
which enhanced the general surprise when he
was called to rule supreme over the empire
He made his studies in the IaZareff institute in
his native city, in leaving which he embraced
the military career. He left college at an early
age with the reputation of an excellent mathe-
matician, and a good scholar IN history and
languages. At the age Of twenty he spoke
most fluently Russian, Polish, French, Ger
man, Armenian, Persian and Tartar. His mil
itary career was quite brilliant one s'The
battle of Alfalfa Dagh, and the storming of
Ksrs," writes Lieut.. Greene of the United
States army, s'are undoubtedly among the most
brilliant feats of arms in Russian military an
nails" After the close of the war with the
Turks Loris Melikof sank again into compare
tive obscurity The next occasion in which he
came prominently before the public was dur
ing the time Of the plague in southern Russia
This soldier of fortune was appointed to ar
rest the spread Of the disease, as if the latter
were mere regiment of Turks. Melikoff sue
cd in he cn1f al. NV
SERIES OF DRACoNIC MEASURES,
the lawfulness of which might be discussed,
but not their efficiency He acquired in popu-
lar opinion reputation similar to that acquired
by Mouravieff during the instruction of Po-
land in 1S63-the renutation of a man who in
the execution of his task disregards all other
considerations. Such reputation he still en-
joyed when the explosion Of the Winter Palace
occurred A man of iron was needed ''to pro-
tect the order Of the State and society,"" A
supreme executive commission was appointed
for the purpose, at the head of which Loris
the members of the commission from whatever
quarters he wished. His Office was very much
like that which was given in emergencies in
ancient Rome, "to see that the empire suffers
no damage" The ukase by which he was NOM
mated decreed that in order to give
commission its chief should be in
vested with the rights of commander-in- chief
of St Petersburg and the adjacent district, and
further with the direct control over all political
trials held in the capital, the military district of
st. Petersburg and throughout the empire. u
All the local authorities, governors, governors
generals and town commanders were placed
under the jurisdiction of the chief of the ex-
ecutive commission, and all the employees in
the various departments we're bound to afford
him their entire cooperation. The head of the
commission was at liberty to adopt any meas
mr. yuhi fo HIM ooir Ia 70, no
protection of order, and his orders were to be
Internationally obeyed" The office of
PROVISIONAL GOVERNOR GENERAL
of St. Petersburg, held hitherto by Gen. Gour-
ko, was abolished: in fact, one might say that
no other high Office now existed, not even
that of chief Of the third section. beside that to
which Loris Melihoff had been appointed
The first act of the general in assuming Of
flee was the issue of proclamation by which
he declared that he would not hesitate on one
hand to take the most stringest measures for
the punishment of criminal acts while endeav-
or1ng on the other to tranqulize and protect
the well-intentioned part Of society. The most
immediate effect this proclamation produced
was an attempt on the life of the man who
had issued it On March 2, 1880, Gen. Nell
koff had been out driving and was returning
about Q o'clock p. m. to his house in the Grand
Morskaia, opposite the Protestant church. He
had scarcely left his carriage when we'll
dressed young man who was lettering in front
Of the building
DREW A REVOLVER
and deliberately levelled it at the general. The
ball passed through the folds of his military
cloak and the tunic and fortunately left him
unhurt. Melikoff owed his safety to the habit
Of wearing number of flannels, one above tine
other. very spare man, by no means of ro-
bust constitution, very susceptible to changes
Of temperature, somewhat hvpochondriac on
the score Of his health he had tried in the
apqinSt
This flannel padding had proved to be the only
wholesome remedy against the complaint, and
he adopted it On this occasion it proved as
good as coat of mail. The assas-
sin took child to and fight nr nus stumbled gs
by his intended victim, who never for a mo
ment lost his presence of mind. The criminal
was q converted Jew foom the government of
Minsk, Hypolite Joseph Wladetski by name,
who declared that he had made the attempt on
principle, not from personal revenge Wladet-
ski had been seven days in custody as char
acter suspicious to the police, and had just
been released through lack of evidence. The
revolver with which he had committed the
crime had been stolen by him from the police
office as he was about to be released: Wladet-
ski was summarily tried, sentenced to death
and executed within forty EIGHT hours from
his murderous attempt .-... ......s.- s.
Having the full confidence of Alexander III,
Loris Melikof still retains his great power,
but it is very doubtful that, under the circum-
stances, he will use it to extend the liberties of
the people The liberalism with which he has
been credited by all who are we'll acquainted
with him must give way, at least for the mo-
ment, before the necessity Of bringing the
reign Of nihilistic terror to an end. No consti-
tuted government can, in such case, be awake
to any other than than this necessity The fu-
ture alone will tell with whom victory will side
At all events, the struggle demands more vic.
TINS We would be surprised if Loris Melikof
were not one of them. taBf 4ss.
Sense and Sentiment.
Shakespeare: Strong reasons make strong
actions. g-ssgg 80 z evvs