Arizona republican., 1904-04-23
pHoENIx, ARIZONA, APRIL 2s, 1s
The Fall of the vIceroy.


 writers must prepare in haste their matter for the wires, and they nrst farn, their opinions with celerity, and of course they make mistakes. There is probably little ground for accepting their conclusion that the retirement of yiceroy Alexieff will mean complete reversal of Russia's policy in carrying on the war. The czar may pursue a different policy in the far east after peace is declared, but his hands jus, now are upon blow that requires ev- cry instant of his attention as 1t 1olts throueh the rocky soil, and he has no time to look back. However much he may regret that he was misied by Alexieff before the outbreak of. hos tfllties, and whatever the mistakes that have been committed by the viceroy since the war began, the past cannot be recalled.
 The force of circumstances compelled Aiexieff to offer his resignation. Be- fore the outbreak of hostilitles 1t was ostentatiously announced that he was to be supreme upon the land and the sea-was to hold the Russian army and navy in the hollow of his hand. as 1t were, and was to make mincemeat of poor Japan if the mikado dared go to war. This was when the war party was rampant at St. Petersburg and was driving the confiding czar straight into the jaws of disaster. Alexteff sr-d BeGobrazoff were the leaders of the wal party, and they had forced some of the czar's safest and most conserva- tive ministers into retirement. Up to the last minute the czar had been fooled by the assurances of this war party that Japan would not fight, but would back down when war was the alternative. Nicholas got his first line on the unreliability of these advisers when Japan suddenly broke off nego- tiatfons and began the war He had some clarifying insight into Aexieff's executive ability when he learned that the viceroy and his officers were on shore, at a ball, and drunk, at the mo- ment Japan opened her ball by tor pedo attack on the Russian ships. The emperor had further proof of Alexieff's 8 talents as a naval commander and strategist when 1t was found that the Russian fleet in Asiatic waters was hopelessly divided-part of it at Port Arthur, part at Chemulpo, and part at Vladivostok.
 Then it was that the emperor got busy himself, and did some business without consulting his viceroy. He ap- pointed Makaroff admiral in command at Port Arthur, with orders to report direct to St. Petersburg. Alexieff ac- cepted this evidence of royal displeas- ure with the best grace possible, and announced that he would give all his attention to the campaign on land. Within a few days, without notice to him, one of his most bitter personal enemies, General Kuropatkin, was ap- pointed to supreme command of the army, also with orders to ignore the viceroy and report direct to St. Peters, burg. There was little left for Alexieff to do but twiddle his thumbs. He had been shorn of power on both sea and land, for there was no longer any civil government for him to administer.
 Nevertheless, upon the death of Ad- rniral Makaroff, Alexieff informed the ozar and the newspaper correspondents not ho faH at Port Arthur. The czar's reply was to appoint Admiral Skrydloff, the com r1ander of the Baltic fleet. and another of the viceroy's personal enemies, to be admiral in command at Port Arr thur. And Alexieff first learned of Skrydloff's appointment from the newspapers! Under the circumstances, he must have been dense to an extra ordinary degree not to see until a few days ago that he had lost favor with his imperial master.
 According to biography of the un- fortunate viceroy' published some time ago, Evghenyi Ivanovitch Alexieff is the son of an Armenian father and AuSsldu Hhotner. lie IS not or noble birth on either side. His mother lives in the government of Poltava, southern Russia Whether his father is still liv- fag is not stated. The viceroy is sixty years old, but is said to look much younger. He has had no classical edueation,S the biography states, mo experience of politics, no time for med itation. and little taste for history"
 It is curious that at a critical time for Russia this man of mixed blood should have been Russia" What he said and wished appears to have gone with the czar all along. His Arme- nian blcod probably explains the bar ter method under which Russia under took to negotiate. Alexieff did not take