New-York tribune., 1905-02-01
THE LIMIT OF CONCESSION
TIadimir Says People Mag Enpress
Grievances to Emperor.

ST Petersburg Feb 1.-Grand Duke Vladimir,
uncle of Emperor Nicholas and commander OF
the Imperial Guard, has granted an interview
TO The Associated Press's correspondent at the
palace in the Quay de la Cour, adjoining the
Winter Palace Everything about the grand
dukes apartment. with reports heaped up on
the table before him. bespoke the man of work.
The grand duke is a man Of perhaps sixty-five
years big framed and dark vsaged, and has
iron gray hair. Although his face and frame
show marks OF recent illness, the nervous en-
ergy he displays gives the impression OF a man
of force and action. He said:
I have read the accounts in the foreign press.
] have stood aghast at the frightfpl stories Of
the butcheries of innocent people which they
have printed I know they say well-intentioned
patriots. with priest at their head. coming
peacefully TO place their grievances before his
majesty, were ruthlessly shot down In the
streets, but know that behind this peaceful
procession was anarchist and socialist plot,
OF which the overwhelming majority of the
workrnen were merely innocent tools. We know
from examination OF the dead and those ar
rested that some alleged priests were actually
revolutionary agitators and students In dis
guse
We had TO save the city from a mob Unfor-
tunately TO do so innocent and guilty suhered
alike But suppose one hundred and forty thou
sand men had reached the gates or the Winter
Palace; they would have sacked it as the mob
sacked Versailles. From the palace they would
have gone elsewhere. and the whole city would
have been delivered over to anarchy. riot. blood
every government The same situation has con-
fronted cities in other countries Why, because
this occurred In Russia, should the whole world
point the finger of scorn at us? In the midst OF
our difficulties, why should we be turned upon?
Why should America especially misinterpret
and think I'll of us? We have always been
friends-friends of a century-friends when
America needed friends. 1 remember when
America was our great friend. why has all this
changed? What has Russia done to deserve
it2 What has Russia done to America?
Why should the foreign press. especially that
of Great Britain. not hesitate before that ca
lumny? No invention seems too horrible for
them 20 print. They do not explain that on
Saturday every dead wall in St Petersburg
was placarded with warnings to the people not
10 assemble. No: but they tell that thousands
OF innocent people were killed and other thou
sands wounded. and paint the streets as run
were pushed under the fee of the Neva at night.
IT is Infamous. They say nothing OF isolated
officers set upon by Tobs IN the streets ana
killed or wounded. AS a matter OF fact, com
plete returns show that exactly l26 are dead.
Several hundred were wounded: can't give tne
precise figure Of the wounded, but you shail
have an opportunity to the full reports.
1T IS hinted that Maxim aorkv Will be
hanged" said the correspondent
Nonsense" said the grand duke.
1T is asserted that some OF the troops refused
TO obey commands" was the next suggestion.
The grand duke replied:
There Is question of the loyalty OF the
troops They did their duty. They are ready
as am ready to die IN the streets for the En-
peror A soldier was asked by one workman
why he fired the striker saying to him; fouH
be workman 1hs5 ro SOON NAV he soldier. and know
what it is to obey your oath to 90 your dbty 10
your Emperor.
Nigh I ask your imperial highnesss view Of
The present situation?" said the correspondent
with this unhappy upon our shoulders"
said the grand duke. 1--WE are passing through
-. car
not be concealed but with the help of God we
will emerge from it we have emerged from
other troubles in the past In the interior there
are many elements of discord, but the situation
is not so bad as It is painted The disorders at
Warsaw, Rieff and elsewhere are largely indus
trial. produced by trade depression and conse-
auent lack of employment account Of the
war. They are not revolutionary at base"
Then. without being asked. the grand duke
went
People speak of constitution. A constitution
would mean the end OF Russia. the state
would be gone, anarchy would supervene, and
when IT ended the empire would be disinte
grated Finland. Poland and perhaps other
Russia is not ripe for a constitution. Go out
among the peasants, who comprise the vast
bulk OF the empires population, and try to ex-
plain to them government by suffrage. The
peasant knows nothing of government; he does
not even know what the word means. He
knows his Emperor. For him the Emperor is
everything. Give the peasant q vote and ell
would be anarchy. Still, there is necessity for
reforms. and they will be granted by the autoc-
racy.
Maintaining the principle OF autocracy, then.
the people Will have opportunity to be heard
: in the government? asked the correspondent.
Yes" was the reply, "they can, and I am
sure they Will. have a voice. OF that 1
certain; and he repeated the words enlphatical-
iy. Il am certain" and continued even more
deliberately: They viii receive the means of
presenting their needs and grievances direct to