The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1904-05-27
WAR
NEWS SERVICE
Melville z. Stone Tells How the
Censorship Was Removed.
PRIvATEAUDIEEoE WITH THBozAB

Nicholas II. Considered the Subject
Thoroughly, Freely Discussing All
Possible objections, ana AFTER a
Brief Delay Mr.. stone was Iaform-
ed Tint All Of His suggestions Had
Been Approved ana the Censorship
Abolished Forever.
Melville +. stone, general manager
Of the Associated Press, In an inter
view in the Chicago Post thus speaks
81 bis work I'd ST Petersburg iii secur
ing the removal Of the Russian censor.
ship from American press dispatches
An early audience with Count Ians
dorm. the Russian minister Of foreign
affairs, was arranged, and, while lie
was most cordial. he said the whole
matter belonged IN the department Of
NJ. Plehye tile minister Of the interior.
I am acquainted with your wishes,
said Count Lamsdortf, and you may
trust me to do anything I'd my power
to further the matter Only yesterday
| forwarded the report Of our agent
upon bis interview with you to Minis
ter Plehve, with my earnest recon.
mendation that we meet your views
OF course. this was encouraging. but
when / had talked with n. Plehye 1
was less confident. He was courteous
but he IS a man having upon his Shout
ders the entire responsibility for the
internal order of the empire and be-
fore taking any radical steps he must
look carefully into the business. So
about all he could say was that he
would take the matter under advise
ment and see what could be done.
II asked four things
"Etrst-A press rate.
Second Precedence for our tele-
grams
'Third.-An open door, so FAR as the
government Offices We're concerned, so
that our correspondents would be well
coined and given the news
Fourth The abolition Of the cen
sorship 50 far ais it applied to us.
'M Plehye suggested that / see NJ.
Dournovo, the minister Of telegraphs.
and he arranged the interview. As a
result the first two Of my suggestions
were granted Immediately. NJ. Dour.
novo said he was powerless to stop
government telegram for us, as Is done
In France, but he gave an order that
our dispatches should follow govern.
ment kilograms and preeede all others.
And he assured me that under all or
binary conditions this meant that we
could be sure Of receiving a news dis
patch from Port Arthur or yladivostok
over the Transsiberian lines within an
hour. am happy to say that his judg-
ment has been fully borne out in ex.
perienee.
Then, without solicitation on my
part Or that eft Mr.. McCormick, our am
bassador, | was commander to a
private audience Of the emperor at the
Winter palace. This lasted about an
hour The emperor went into the sub
iect with great earnestness, asking
many questions and discussing freely
all possible objections. Ny wishes as
70 rates and precedence having already
been met by Minister Plehve, there
only remained for consideration some
arrangement for enabling us to get the
news and the abolition of the censor
ship. was very promptly assured
that directions. would be given to all
Of the ministries, the war and navy
departments, the foreign Office, etc,
to welcome cur men and to give them
all Of the information possible.
"And as to the censorship
after all was the vital thing under