The daily silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1903-1907, 1904-09-15
BLAME IS ALL IN
ALEX|EFF
Russian Disasters in Orient
Due to Blundering of
the viCerOy

defeat and re .irement for the Russian
forces in Manchuria and then the tide
will have turned" said a high official of
the war department today. The defeat
will come at Mukden and the first de
cisive Russian victory of the war VIII
occur at Tie Pass, providing the Japan
ese continue Their advance beyond MuK-
den.''
The gloom that succeeded the reverse
at Lao Yang has been followed by a
buoyancy that indicates cheering news
from the commander-in -chief. By the
expected defeat al Mukden the officiaI
probably meant that General Kuropa,-
kin would leave sufficient force there tc
check Tor time the Japanese ADVANCE
and when the attack Is pressed TOO
strongly 10 fall back TO the nam Amy
at Tie Pass. The force that Will defend
Mukden will consist of $1,000 men. 1t
is no: expected that the japanese VII
attack The city within three weeks. as
that period will be necessary TO enable
them TO ieplenish their supplies of am
munition and get their commssariat into
shape for a resump. ion OF the campaign.
The bad roads have of late delayed the
advance OF transport.
The Pass is the strongest po'nI. -.om
the standpoint OF defensive operations. II
all Manchuria 1t was here that Kuro.
patkin. even before he left Russia for
the front. planned to make his frs.
stand against the japanese armies.
There will not be decisive battle be-
fore December" said Kuropa kin.
The Program of the Russian comman
der-in-ch eff was upset as soon as he
reached the front. viceroy Aiexien be
reved that the Japanese advance shouIo
be met at the Yalu river. Despite Kuro-
patkin's protest he was compel ed to at
tempt with $1,000 men to stem the brown
legIons advancing through Korea ano
thereafter fight battle after battle while
falling back toward the position whers
early in September. Alexiens policy wa.
popular with the czar and wi, h the Rus
sian popuiace. for the viceroy told hi
emperor that the Russians would defeat
the islanders though outnumbered four
TO one. and advance to the early reiiei
OF Port Arthur. which stronghold hao
TIN ough his blundering.
The Russian heart is set uIon the res
cue of the brave garrison that for months
has held the 'G braltar of the East
against the japanese besiegers II was
in the hope of effecting this rescue that
S.akelberg was sent on his disastrous
attempt TO pierce the Japanese lines ana
fight his way to Port Arthur. and II is
the belief here that The czar himself or
Lao Yang In the hope that at last h s
commander in-chief had been sufficiently
reinforced TO defeat the combined Japan
sse armies and advance to the relief OF
Stoessel.
Now General Kuropatkin is just where
he expected 10 be in September when he
left st. Petersburg to take command.
Through the interference OF Aiexien he
has lost thousands of men, many guns
and quantities OF supplies. Moreover. the
moral of his men has been affected by
successive reverses. But the Russian
general will retreat no farther IL his own
beLef In the success of his plan of cam
paign proves TO have been calrect. 1t is
expected that at Tie Pass the japanese
Will receive their final check and the re-
beria Will enable him 10 take the ohen.
s.ve. either in a winter campaign, II the
JaIaLese so elect. or next spring. when
Russia will have more than half-mll-
lion men at the front.
In the meantime should Port Art:iu.
fall that disaster. too could be attrib-
uted TO the interference of .ex.et.
Kuropatkin had planned TO give Por,
Arthur an enormous garrison and sup
plies sufficient TO withstand years
siege. expecting to effect the rel eff of the
garrison no sooner than late this autumn
or early next spring. Alexieff, stubborn
ly confident that one Russian could easily
defeat ten Japanese. ordered that Kuro-
patkin send to the Yalu the men that
he had intended for Port Arthur. After
repuls ng the Japanese. sand Aiexieff.
there would be plenty of time to LOOK
after Port Arthur.
With the knowledge Of this situation