The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1886-12-24

An Interview With General Young, Our Consul
General at st. Peter sburg The Antocrat's Safe
ty-The Passport Syster.

n y-Ihe rasspOrt cysteRa. S
The Washington Critic prints an in
terview with Consul General Young,
who has just returned to this country
from st. Petersburg on a three months
leave of absence. Following are ex-
cerpts: Being inquired of whether
there was much activity in Russian
military circles, General Young replied
in the affirmative. There is," he
said, constant and untiring work 60
ing on among the Russian army Off
GERS, perfecting the troops in drill and
equipment, and they are making won
derful progress. The Russian army
is as completes military organization
to-day as the world has aver seen. All
branches of the service have the most
modern arms and are thoroughly
drilled in their actual use."
"Do youthink Russia wants India?'
81 do not; / do not believe that she
wouldfor amoment seriously consider
the question Of fighting England for
India. The reason for her attitude
on the Afghanistan frontier? 1t is
simply because she wants to let Eng
land know that she must not interfere
with Russia. Her position in regard
to India is simply a menace to Eng
land. She holds England in check by
the implied threat conveyed by her
activity between Merv and the Caspian
Sea. AS for Afghanistan, Russia does
not want that country either. Ii she
did, all she would have to do would
be to take it. She could do that
very easily. What Russia is working
for on the frontier is the friendship of
the Amer. That potentate is Eng
lands friend, and Russia is undermin-
ing that country's influence with him;
that's all she isnow workingforin that
direction. She does want Constanti-
nople and will get it in time. Russia
has between fifty and eighty thousand
men between the Caspian Sea and
Merv, and can handle them rapidly.
Those troops are simply perfect; why,
they have in their ranks tailors,
bakers, matters, weavers; in fact, men
of all trades, ready at any time when
called uponto goto work at them. 1t
is the same way throughout the Rus
sian army. BY this you can see how
thorough the service is"
ed?"
mo; as a rule they are a contented
people and love their emperor.
Nihillsm has, / think been stamped
out. There are no more anar-
nkSak 4u~t,E11, - D,xnz.. 49, 80
have in this country. The impression
that the czar is afraid of his life and
goes about surrounded by a Gordon of
guards, and is, in fact, a prisoner, is
all m~oonshine. He goes around st.
Petersburg just as it pleases him. He
is, in fact, seen much more frequently on
the streets than is the president ofthe
United States. He gets into his car
riage with the empress and drives out
to the regiments that are always ma
~neuvering and holding sham battles.
He will leave the carriage, jump on his
horse, and dash around among his
troops, giving orders and taking per-
sonal part in what is going on. He will
then rejoln his wife and quietly return
to the city. Often he lives for a couple
of weeks with the empress in a little
house near the troops, and is no more
attended than the colonel of any regi-
ment. He is magnificent man, physi-
cally, six feet three inches in height,
and does not fear man or devil. His
soldiers adore him. Heisparticularly
q family man, and is always to be
found with his wife. He seems to be
devoted to her and to his children. He
is q Romanoff, of course. The Ro-
manoff's are splendid people, as a
rule, and he is a particularly splen id
man."
How are Americans treated in Rus
sia?"
Better than any other class OF for
eigners. They are given facilities that
are extended to no other people.
They are always politely treated,
although they have to submit to the
strict policesystem of the country. No
one, no matter from whom he may
have a passport, can get into
Russia unless that document has
been vised by a Russian Off
cial. This looks rather strict, but
then you must remember that every
Russian within the empire must also
have a passport, and must be ready
to produce it whenever called upon.
Thus, if q man is under suspicion, all
the authorities have to do IS to take
away his passport, and he can go no
where. He is practically his own jail
err. Another thing to show the eau
lion of the government: fla foreigner
enters Russia to transact any bust
ness or to enter upon any sort OF
manufacture. he cannot do SO until
the authorities know all about him,
where he comes from, who he is, what
he wants to do, what he wants to do