The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1904-01-08
ALExElEFF.
Tho Cars Mild hammered Autocrat Of
-.-.. AA~.a AIaia a.n.aal......

Manchuria.
London Mail: A pleasing personality.
with nothing in his appearance to strike
terror 70 the world, Is the maj who holds
the KEYS Of peace and war In the Tar east
today. Admiral AleNeieff, a man whom
The car has many times been pleased 10
honor, is still young enough TO LOOK lot
word To great conquests, YET just olu
enough to Impress us as q klndly, Inludle-
aged man. with a pafriarchai peaIo,
whose delight Is to dandle q ch1lo on MS
knee.
He is the first Russian viceroy in the
far east. the man upon whom Nicholas
III. has imposed the momentous task OF
building up q new empire. Just what part
Alexeier has played in the recent moves
on the great chessboard OF Asia NOBODY
ouside the cars empire knows. He mas
been In his time governor general OF East
ern Siberia and governor OF Russian Man
-churia; and he is today c~omnnander-in-
chief of the Russian forces In the Pacific.
1t IS an office hardly understood IN Eng
land, for Alexeieft has power over the
forces on land and on sea.
II he has played his part in the strangs
developments which have brought Russia
face to face with japan. Alexeien has
contributed his share also to the strength
Of the Russian avy Time was when tho
cars navy was commanded ard Differed
by Englishmen. when the sea power Of
Russia was not such a thing as appalled,
It's enemies. But 1t is different now, and
Russia's fleet stands third among the ma
v!es Of Europe. With ports 5000 miles
apart, Russia has a naval position which
Sir George Clarke declares 'absolutely
unique" and It's new sea power is due not
a little to the foresight and skill Of it's
greatest sailor. II
E q. ~ ..- A,---.t - - :, ~ -
side with the forces of Japan, against
which he may soon be engaged IN war.
He was In charge of the Russian troops in
China. and had under him when wal be-
a more troops thar all the other pow
ers together, except Japan. The story is
told that the Russian band played the
French "Marseillaise" as 1t marched into
Picking, and that it was only after some
minutes Of acutest agony that the general
was able to stop the army of the autocrat
sounding the republican march. But It
was the simplest blunder and should not
be taken as IN the least suggesting lack
of discipline. Where Alexeieff rules. there,
the soldier knows that obedience is the
only virtue in the world.
II Alexeieff II not the salve Of n strict
convention-and we Know that his soldiers
were seen In China marching under UNI
brellas-he knows how to fit in freedom
with efficiency. It was he probably of
whom a traveller was thinking when he
wrote home that Il have seen high Rus
sian officers Joke and laugh with their
soldiers as If they had been chums." Yet
the same traveller wrote that on the try
ing march to Picking. where soldiers Of
all other nationafities collapsed In hun
dreds along this road from sunstroke or
d~ysentery, or oppressed by the great heat,
/ never say a single Russian fall out of
the ranks" When the allies left China
the czar sent Alexeieff a sword shining
with gold and diamonds and inscribed:
"For victories at the seat OF war in Pc
chilli. $780,"
Since then the emperor has made him
lord OF Russia's far eastern empire, with
powers almost absolute under the car
himself and q special committee. The
admiral has become, as a Russian paper
said, the instrument of the will and pur-
pose OF the car, and that in the terri
tories where Russia's movement cause
the greatest uneasiness to the rest of the
world.
1t Is said that when he first received his
nag Alexeieff had a consuming passion
for Russian bridge" and was the hest
player on the Pacific station. But he has
no time for bridge today, especially IL II Is
correct that the czar has te]legraphed to
him that II give you full power to main
tain, II necessary, the prestige of Russia
by force of arms" We shall hear more
OF Admiral Alexetefr ii that is true.