The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-07-29
B|G CHANCE CAME OVER VON PLEHVE Was Formerly an Exceedingly
 Agreeable Man AMBASSADOR WHITE TALKS Thinks the Present State of Affairs In the Russian Empire Is the
 Worst In It's His
 tory.
AMBASSADOR WHITE TALKS

Syracuse, N. Y, July 2s.-The Post Standard tomorrow will say
 Former Ambassador to Russia Andrew D. White was seen by a Post-Standard reporter at the residence of his brother, Horace K. White. just before he left for Ithaca yesterday afternoon. When asked if he had the acquaintance of M Plehve, the Russian minister of the in terior MT. White answered that he knew him well, having met him frequently in the course of official business during his stay at St Petersburg in 1S92-93. and 1894 as minister of the United States to Rus sia.
 In discussing Plehve's assassination, MT. White said:
 "At that time M. Plehye Lad not ar- i rived at the position of full minister of the interior, but was first assistant min lster in that department and in that ca paclty took up various American mat ters, especially the dealings of the Rus sian government with some of the great American insurance companies. The Rus sian government had made the companies great deal of trouble, and l was in- structed from Washington to discuss the matter General Bachelor, now judge Of the international court in Egypt, very ably representing the companies.
 Found Him Agreeable.
 q think both General Bachellor and myself found Mir Plehye very agreeable and apparently as far as his government allowed him, reasonable. also met him socially at various times and found nm agreeable and interesting. l was, there | fara oraat t1xr cnrprfqed at learning when he was promoted to the first place that his whole character seemed to change.
 His part in the horrible massacre and plunder of the Jews. men, women and children at Kishineff caused him to be regarded with adherence by the whole world Even more frightful has been his connection with the destruction of the liberties of Finland. In my mind that Is thejmost wicked thing in the history of the1 last two centuries There is no time to ko into 1t here further than to say thaf 1t has turned the best, the most IclvIlzed. the most educated and most iIcfaf province in the empire into a land irto wtiieh the opposite of all these char acteristics Is more highly developed than if ,esy other part of the empire. Other khfhAs done by him were also calculated fosbHng most bitter hatred against him. t'HA attempted to help his cause by Aefeilse of his conduct toward Finland which was published in an American magaz1ne. But it certainly mast have failed to convince any thinking man at all aware of the circumstances.
 During two summers I lived mainly in Finlands coming frequently to St. Peters burg and the transition in passing from the cultivation and civilization of Finland to the atmosphere of Russia was the most depressing l have ever known.
 Does Not Wonder at Assassination.
 q do not wonder at his assassination. although I deeply lament 1t. Among oth- CT reasons for this regret, it will doubt less be made pretext for new oppression and new cruelties towards the Jewish population and toward the Finlanders. Assassination always defeats It's purpose and this will be, l fear. no exception to the rule.
 T can only account for MT. Plehves atrocious, reactionary and despotic con- duct since he came to the position of minister on the theory that he found that the clique in control of the winter palace, men and women who seem to have brought the present emperor into sub jectlon to them, obliged MT Plehve as condition of his tenure of office to dc their will.
 His ambition doubtless lead him to adopt the racial and religious hatred. as well as their detestaion of anything like constitutional government
 Present Situation is Worst. MT White concluded by saying that having lived twice officially in Russia he had observed closely the condition Of the empire. and that though he saw the most wretched condition of things during the Crimean war the situation at present Is the most desperately bad In Russian his- tory, and that 1t has been brought on by an exercise of depotism more unreason- able cruel and short-sighted than any thing fin recent human history outside of the Russian amnirs.