The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1904-02-26
.%KUROPATk|N NOW
commandments
Former Russian Minister o,
War the Idol OF the
Land Forces.
GOES AT ONCE TO FRONT
The Appointment Of kuropatkin to tn,
Leadership of the Russian Army 10
No Reflection on AlexieH-De.
tails Of Affairs.

st. Petersburg, Feb. 23.-The appoint
ment Of General Kuropatkin, who was
relieved Of his functions as minister OF
war;, to the chief command of the Rus
sian army in the far east was ga
zetted.
with the possible exception of Cen
eraE Dragomrioff, formerly governor
general of Kieff, and later. member of
the council Of state, General Kuropat-
KIN is the most popular man in the Rus
sian army. AS a bluff soldier, who has
fought his way from the bottom to be
minister of war, he is the ideal of the
enlisted men. No n in the cars
army has seen more fighting. He was a
companion Of the great Skobeleff at
IleVna, and other memorable points in
the Iurko-Russian war. .
His appointment to direct
in the field has been received with en-
thusiasm. and his leadership inspires
complete confidence hat there will be
no mistake and that Russian arms will
De carried to success on land.
General Kuropatkin will be accom-
panied to the front by Grand Dukes
Boris, Alexis, Nicholas and Michael
Nickolaievitch.
Inc emperor n the empress gave q
iuncheon to General Kuropatkin and
the grand dukes at the Alexandria pal
ace, T~sarske-Selo, and babe them fare
well.
Ihe exact mission of Grand Duke
AleNieff is unknown, but it is undoubt-
edly an important one, as he has been
In supreme command Of the Russian
navy as president Of the admiralty,
taking an active part in the negotia-
tlons preceding hostilities.
With e Kuropatkin's appointment
as commander in chief of the army and
the presence of the Grand Duke Alexis
In the far east, the opinion is strength
ened that while Admiral Alexieff may
remain as viceroy, the active direc-
ton Of operations will pass out of his
hands.
The C%hemuIpo Incident.
The action of the commander of the
United States gunboat Vicksburg in
declining to join the commanders of
other foreign warships in a protest
against the attack of the japanese
feet at Chemulpo which resulted in
the sinking of the Russian cruisers Va
RAG II Korietz, promises to cause
much discussion here.
The Novoe Vremya's London CORE
spondent cables that the protest of the
British captain against the Japanese
attack on the ground that it was a
breach of neutrality proved Intellectual
because the American commander
would not assent.
Newspapers here are laying great
stress on the personal note of Mr.. Kur-
inc, the Japanese minister at st, Pc
tersburg, to Count Lamsdorff, the Rus
sian foreign minister, on account Of the
occasion Of the notification Of the sew
erance of diplomatic relations, in which
Mr.. kurino expressed the hope that
the rupture would be Of brief duration.
They point to this incident as a proof
that Russia had no reason to believe
that Japan intended to follow up the
rupture with actual hostilities.
Official news received here confirms
the report that none Of the crew of the
KOrietZ was lost.
An immense congregation attended
the requiem mass today for Count
Nirod, the only officer killed aboard the
Variag. The count vas a great favor
lite in st. Petersburg society.
Alexieff Not Inundated.
Paris, Feb. 22.-The Echo de Paris st.
Petersburg correspondent says with re-
gard to JUNIORS in circulation that the
appointment of General Kuropatkin to
the command of the Russian army in
Manchuria means that Viceroy Alexieff
was losing favor, that the truth is as
follows:
When the war broke out the car
asked Viceroy Alexieff whether he
deemed 1t necessary to send a general
to command the troops. and if SO whom
he preferred. The viceroy replied that
he considered it necessary to have a
chief commander of the land forces, but
that he had no preference as to who
should be selected.
"Viceroy Alexieff retains the viceroy-
ship, but General Kuropatkin is en-
powered to communicate directly with