Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1891-12-28
Is THIS STORY TRUE
Col. De Arnaud Says Russia
Needs No Aid.
HAS MONEY AND food ENOUGH
But Will Accept Cur Contributions As
Proof of Our Cordial Rela ions

The Finances of the Imp rial Govern
ment in as Sound a Condition as Ever,
With Enormous Reserves in Foreign
Countries and at Homs-N1iss Barton's
Contributions will be Received With
Christian Gratitude.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 28.-Col. Charles
De Arnaud, the wellknown champion
of the present Gar, in an interview,
says the reports of distress from famine
in Russia are exaggerated and that
Russia needs no aid.
Il have received says Col De
Arnaud numerous letters Of inquiry
regarding that subject. I invaria bly,
answer that from my personal knowl-
edge of Russia's finan cial resources and
natural productions, l do not believe
that the Russian Imperial Government
needs aid from any foreign country to
enable it to cope with the distress pre-
vailing in some of its provinces.
"a recent letter to me from high
| authority at St. Petersburg says that
| the fall of the snow and frost was a
God-send to them. The roads were
| then in good condition to reach the dis
tressed districts by means of sleighs.
| The noble work for the relief of the suf
| fering peasantry was going on with
| vigor. II did ones heart good to see
with what interest the Imperial family,
| the nobility and the people of all ranks
| united under the Czarwitch's committee
of relief They had plenty of supplies
| and corn, and there was no danger of
suffering or starvation among the poor.
This letter speaks for itself. In re-
| gard to the movement in the United
| States for the starving peasantry, ven
| ture to say that the Russian Government
feels grateful to the phllanthropic citi-
zens of this country who so nobly came
forward with their subscr iptions. The
| Russian Government naturally looks
upon this as a demonstration of the
ancient friendship existing between the
two ountries, but L am certain, and l
speak as a Russo-American, that the
| government cannot stand in need of
| outside aid.
The 43, coo sacks of -four which the
mlllers of the Northwest SO generousl y
donated, the Russian. Government is
obliged to acce pit with thanks, but really
| they do not need it.
| MR. Alexander Gregor, first secretary
of the Russian Legation, in the absence
of Minister De Strune, through his
youth and ineXperience, has taken upon
him self the responsibility of accepting
these donations ON behalf of his govern
| T.,
such u manner that out of gratitude
for such a spontaneous outburst of feel
ing on the part of the American people
they must ratify his act
| But l affirm that the finances of the
Russian Imperial Government are in as
sound condition as ever they were.
Russia has always $50, 600, 900 gold
dollars on deposit in the various CAPT
tails of Europe and in New York and at
| hf,D bav aoly hundr
millions of reserved capital, with plenty
of surplus grain. With all this at COM
mand / do not see the niece ssity Of
taxing the good people of this country
on behalf of suffering Russians.
In regard to the effort of Miss Glare
Barton OF the Ameri can Red Cross So
clety, we cannot call it Il foreign move
mens to aid the sufferers in Russia, b III
an international one, for the Red eros.
Society in America is branch of the
Rcd Cross Society in Russia, and vic'
versa.
- he Red Cross Society in Russia il
composed of the most influential anC
wea!lhiest classes, and it came to the
aid OF the Government in this crisis il
true Christian spirit.
Whatever Miss Clara Barton, a
President of the United States branch
] of this great humanitarian organization
] may contribute to them, will be re
f coived with Christian gratitude."
r WASHINGTON, Dec. 2S.-Mr. Alexande
. Greger, charge d atfaires of the Russian
i legation at w as hington, in an interview
] SAID that he wished that there was trutl
in Col. De Arnaud's statement that tn
reports of famine in Russia were eXag
gerated and that Russia needs no aid.
In lew of the southern provinces
he Says, crops were good, and it may b
| that Col. De Arnaud's inform tiol
comes from these sections.
Mr.. Greger says the Russian Govern
ment is doing all in its power to reliev
the distress, and the son of the En-
peror is at the head of the relief com
@ mittee.
All the mem beers of the legation here
he said, have turned over their salarie:
to the relief committee.
"Col. De Arnaud thinks have placed
| my government i'll an embarrassing pc
sition," said Mr.. Greger, "by accepting
the gift of the Minneapolis millers A
a matter of fact, l cabled my govern
ment before replying to the offer ant
the Russ ian department of State cablet
that they would gladly accept the offer
The donation is but a drop in tn
bucket compared with the people
needs, but Russia accepts the offer witt
the hope of reciprocating should Amer
lea, unfortunately, ever be placed in
similar deplorable position"