The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-06-29

never been really intended. and that the
rumor of IL was sent abroad by MS enemies
iust to entrap the London press into
praises of him which could be used against
him at home This is "A device not entirely
unknown TO more enlightened Western ma
tons, and IL IS quite out OF place with me
general spirit of Muscoyite politics. SUD
seQuent events. however, lead one TO sus-
pect that there was an hour or two IN
which NJ. De Staal, the candidate of the
English influence, was actually triumph
ant and that then there came the inter-
vent.on OF a still more powerful influence
which undid what was good as done, and
substituted for NJ. De Staal, the man of
all others who represented the opposite
side of the shield. For Prince Lebanon.
who is one Of the few foreigners alive able
TO speak English so that no one would
dream OF supposing that he Is not English
born. Is IN world-politics an anti English
man at every point OF the compass.
OF those who give thought to the sub
feet. anc have sources Of information or
gossip about 1t. daresay that nearly all
ascribe the change. in one form or another.
TO the German emperor. He Is so furously
hated here now on other grounds, that
people would gladly believe any I'll of him.
and on little or no evidence at all. still a
year ago. before this present antipathy 10
tho influence which upset De Staal and
elevated Lebanon had been made In Ger
many" But there are other Germans be-
sides the kaiser. There IS the Mecklenburg
princess who is known as the Grand
Duchess Vladimir. woman OF great poiiti-
cal activity and individual force. of whom
I heard much IN Russia. She is the only
non-Russian grand duchess who has had
force OF character enough 10 defy the
pressure OF the Greek Orthodox church,
and retain her own religion. This she has
managed to do for twenty-feur years
whereas the poor young Grand Duchess
Serge was not able TO hold out even FIVE
years. and most of the other alien brides
OF the Romanofrs offer no resistance what
ever.
There II, moreover. the young czarina
who Is German and also English. She is
spoken OF sometimes as the favorite cous-
in OF the Emperor william. but quite as
often we hearher described us the favoritc
granddaughter OF Queen Victoria When
rglish and German interests clash. IL Is
not easy for an outsider TO guess where
her sympathies would go, nor is IL even
possible. in land like Russia to know
where her influence would begin or end.
Certain recent indications suggest, as 7
have pointed out in late cable dispatches,
that where chance affords She now leans
toward the English SIDE but there are SO
many rival cliQues and interested groups
about tho Russian court. forever undoinE-
what the others have done. and chang
ing all the landmarks OF both domestic
and foreign policy. that IL is impossible
TO separate or distinguish their work
All that IL certain IL only THAI ths
queens youngest son goes TO Moscow.
and that In next weeks pageants Chfna.
Persia. and Turkey. and wen paItry fu'-
garia ana Servia. to say nothing OF the
great MILITARY states OF the continent.
viii far outshine England In their show
at the czar's coronation. As matters
stood fifteen months ago. the Prince and
Princess OF Wales and the Duke ana
Duchess OF York were TO have the place
OF honor among the guests at this pros
pecttve function. and were to be accom-
panied by suite OF high mobiles, field
marshals and other officials In scores.
Their presence was TO be sign TO all the
world that Russia and England were
sworn friends and allies But all r. very
different now.