Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1904-03-30
CAR HAS LITTLE POWER
Is But Puppet IN the Hands Of Grant
Duke Alexis and the House
of Romanoffs.

rev weeks ago, reports an eastern ex.
change, gives the following graphic pic.
ture Of the real power of the much.
tadked-of car.
Il who know my Russia we'll and ths
powers that be in that empire, am
amused at the reports of the powers and
intentions OF the present autocrat of all
the Russias which are often published
The simple fact is that no Muscoyite EN-,
peror ever possessed less actual power
than that welded by his imperial males
ty Nicholas II.
He is peaceably inclined young mon.
arch and remarkably we'll mentioned:
but he Is the sport of the house Of
Romanof and those who are all-power,
tul in the councils of the empire. He
may think and he may dream; he may
desire and he may propose, but he can,
not perform.
correctly speaking, it is the emperor
alone who can declare war or who can
say: Let it be peace but to tell the
plain, unvarnished truth the present
car is but puppet worked by stronger
hands who hold the strings.
THE son is wholly unlike the father.
The Car Alexander III was not an ex.
ceptonally clever man, but he was
man Of great determination and tenac,
tty OF purpose. He ruled; none ruled
him. His ministers were ever a little
afraid of him. He expected them to fox
low his lead unhesitatingly. Never once
was he known to follow the lead of any
one OF his ministers. He was an honest
man and an outspoken one, and his in.
dignation at what he considered Bis
marck's duplicity would have ended in
war between Russia and Germany had
he not eventually been convinced that
the documents upon which he based his
| conclusions were forgery.
The Car Alexander III. did not like
Germany, neither did he like England.
He had, however, a favorable inclination
oward the United States, and a real
sympathy with France. But, above all
he was Russian. He spoke French flu
emily, German indifferently and Eng.
lish badly; but he was incensed at the
| prevalence of the French language in
high and official society in st. Peters
burg. In the latter days of his reign the
order went forth that in these circles
Russians should speak their own Ian.
guage and this order had to be obeyed
While it cannot be said that the pres.
ent car has anything of his fathers re.
dgious enthusiasm, he may be reck.
oned among the religious monarchs CT
the age, and he has lately taken to writ.
Ing hymns.
But the czarina is religious enthu.
siast. Born a Lutheran, she, on he.
marriage, had to embrace the faith OF
the Greek church. To-day her majesty
is more orthodox than the most orthc-
1ox. So pure Of mind, so self-sacrific.
ing, so intensely spiritual is she that. in
another age, she would have won
canonization.
THE car worships her and her influ-
ence over him is tremendous OF the
two she is decidedly the stronger, but
her influence over her husband excites
the anger and opposition of his family
THE cZarina's instincts are liberal
and progressive, and her husband, so
great is his belief in her, would indorse
her views and policy unhesitatingly
were it not for those august relations
of his, and that formidable council OF
mobiles. The czarina, all powerf, with
her husband, proposes, and the ears
uncles dispose.
"Of all the Romanoff relations the
most autocratic, and at the same time
the most powerful, is Grand Duke
Alexis. He Is the Muscovite incarnate,
beloved by the navy, of which he is the
chief; looked up to by the mobiles. and
worshiped by the common people. His
brother, the late car alone, was strong
enough to soften his rough humors and
bend his powerful will.
After that little affair with a countess
Alexander III. intimated that absence
from Russia for period would be high
~ beneficial for Alexis health. The So
journ abroad was but temporary, and
the grand duke returned with an intiu-
ence and power greater than before.
To-day they are, should say, at their
height
He was antagonistic to the liberal
and pacific policy of NJ White, and in
the end NJ. Witte was retired. He it was
who induced the car to appoint Ad-
miral Alexieff vieeroy of the far east,
with powers never before given to any
one outside of the imperial family.
He entirely disapproves of the views
held by the czarina, and thwarts her in
every possible way. He has never, it is
understood, been in favor of peace, but
of war.
However well intentioned the car
may be, however much he may be under