The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1904-09-16

Aspect of the Big struggle In SLAM
churia.
Russia has become exceedingly
alarmed at her present internal condI-
ton, says James Hamilton Lewis, the
special correspondent Of the Chicago
Post at Paris. She sees no immediate
success in the Japanese conflict She
feels that her war chest will be ex-
hausted before victory can be achieved
Then some form of severe personal tax
upon her people must follow in order
that her local government In Europe
and Siberia may be supported.
This latter necessity will be the
wound which will bring forth screams
of mutiny and cries Of revolt. Then
win be the apt moment for the revo-
lutionists to urge their doctrines. They
will demand the uprising OF the peo-
pie. Their cry will be that Us it is
death without liberty longer to endure
the iron rule of Russia it viii be better
to have liberty and death with pros
pect Of liberty to the children.
The nihilists will join the revolutions
lists and aid them. Such alliance has
already been formed. AIexipiebrokoff,
one of the chief nihilists, fully detailed
the plan Of the alliance To the states
general attorney general Of Switzer-
land few nights ago at a meeting in
Geneva. Russia fears the necessity Of
internal warfare which this condition
necessitates. Therefore il is argued
that It is better to lose temporarily
some advantage id japan than all adj
vantage at home
1t has therefore been esteemed
statesmanlike prudence on the part Of
Russia to have some country intervene
and "arbitrate8 the questions existing
between Russia ana Japan, as Russia
had done between Japan and China
and as England did between Turkey
and Greece.
The Russian governmental heads adj
mitted that ii would never do for Rus
sia 70 appear to have initiated this
move. Such would be construed as Il
confession OF weakness, or, possibly,
defeat The dismal reports of Kuro-
patkin's situation, growing darker, as
they are, would add deeper color to
this conclusion. So, IN pursuit of wise
oriental diplomacy, Russia would have
the United States suggest the neces-
sity Of cessation Of hostlities because
Of such damage to shipping as has fol-
lowed the seizures of the ship knight
Commander and the German ships
sent from Hamburg. The United
States could then demand Of England
its cooperation. This influence upon
Japan would be sufficient for her to
yield.
TO effect this circular course the
Russian minister to France was re-
called to Paris from Biarritz-on-the-
Sea, where he mad gone for holiday,
and he, at the instance Of a private
massage borne in hand by a Russian
nobleman sent by the car called upon
81. DeIcasse, the minister Of French
foreign affairs aud the wisest states
man France has had since 1870, and
within the confidence Of the new Fran
co Russian alliance the plan to have
France influence the United States to
make the proposal Of intervention was
revealed.
The scheme is shrewd, but IN nowise
dishonorable upon the part Of Russia.
She advises France that as soon as the
United States shall demand interven-
ton and the naming Of arbitrators
France shall ask that Switzerland and
Italy represent Russia, each country
to name its board Of three, Japan, Of
course 1t is assumed, would select
England and Russia would pick Ger
many. They would ask that the Unit
ell States name the final one man as
presiding and controlling officer Of the
arbitration In such suggestion Russia
manifests her confidence in the United
States and obtains a favorable attitude
toward her by the United States.
1t is, however, to the underground
machinery Of this movement to which
our interest must be directed what
old Horace termed the procrustean
operandus. Russia knows the great
effect Of religious prejudices and reck-
ons with 1t, as well do all the wise
She, too reckons with the effect Of ma
tional preJudices. 10 avoid the en-
trance OF certain of these influences
into the board Of arbitrator she has
quietly arranged for France to desig
nate to Switzerland that she name a
Swiss or French blood ana Catholic
religion. Russia fears the German
Swiss named from Bern and the Luz
theran Influences upon such.
She prefers that the man from the
United States be not a Catholic, but
by all means that he be one who was
for the Union in the civil war of the
sixties She remembers that the south
bitterly resented Russla's refusal to
recognize the independence Of the Con
federacy as well as the giving Of aid
by her to the Union with the presence
Of battleships at New York harbor.
The propositions Of intervention
have been taken to the United States
They will be quietly "felt out" Count
Cassini will not be lnuusted with
them, not for want Of confidence In
him, but to avoid knowledge that any
such move Is on the board, which his
appearance would indicate.
Geneva has siguifjed its willingness