The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-03-24
Bane of the Muscovite Is Auto
cracy of Grand Dukes.
When Educated, Russia Will Be
a Wonderful Country.
Japanese Acquire a Veneer, But
Are FrightfuIIy immoral.

Frank Z. Robertson gave his lecture
on Russia and Japan; or The Destiny
of the Far East" at the opera mouse
last evening, under the auspices of the
y. NJ. c. \. lecture course. 1t was a
treat, and was witnessed by large
house. The lecture lasted but an hour
and a half and was so beautifully and
amply illustrated by colored stereopti-
con views that it was really the least
tiresome of the entire course of enter
tainments. The views dissolved one in,
to the other, which made fine effect.
Mr. Roberson's lecture was largely des-
criptive, but his comments were terse
and impartial Very little reference
was made to the war. He said at the
start that he would be entirely impair
tial, as he had made two trips to Rus
STA and had lived there year, and had
made four trips to Japan and lived
there two and half years. The audi
ence might like to know which country
he was for, but he would say on the
start that he was not for either. He
was for America.
Mr.. Robertson said that he sympathz-
ed thoroughly with Russia, and chop
ed that Japan would whip the life out
of her. Russia now has the best ear
it has had for seventy-eight years. He
belonged to the peace party and bitter
" opposed the war He inaugurated the
first peace conference ever held, and
has started several liberal moves. How
ever, the car is not anything but the
political puppet of his own environment.
De White is the strongest man in
Russia, and were the people to be given
representative assembly he would
naturally be its president and leader.
the empress is a granddaughter of
Queen Victoria and is beautiful
character and is ably seconding her
husbands efforts for his country. She
is hated, however, by the empress dow
ager, the cars mother, who is a reac
tionary and who was threatened with
death four weeks ago after the murder
of Grand Duke Surgius. The empress
companions are splendid ladies, includ-
ing tine Countess Cassini, daughter of
the Russian ambassador at Washington,
and the empress sister, the widow of
the late Grand Duke Surgius.
The political onus of the present war
rests with Lord Curzon of England and
Count Lamsdorff, the Russian minister
of foreign affairs. The Russian grand
dukes are the autocracy, and are hos
tile to the car Grand Duke Vladimer,
the cars uncle, would like to have his
own sons on the throne, Cyril, who was
blown up on the Petrovolosck at Port
Arthur but lived to return to Russia,
and Boris, who struck Gen. Kuropat-
kin, and was reduced, and who is the
worst rake in Russia. The grand dukes
are mostly weak, immoral, and sunk
into utter bestiality, having no respect
for God or woman's purity.
Russia is a Christian nation, splen-
did churches abound, and the people are
very reverent and religious. Japan, on
the other hand, is pagan nation, and
the worst thing that could happen to
the far east would be Japanese suprem-
acy. The car receives a salary of S4-
100000 yearly and eleven palaces rent
free, but takes care of 1900 relatives.
In the winter palace 1000 families live,
and it is guarded by $4,000 troops.
The United States never had a better
friend during the past seventy eight
years than Russia, and yet it is now
more talked against than any other
country. Why is this? The car is
loved by his people, except the auto
Gratis and aristocracy, and there would
never have been war had it not been
for the latter.
Russia's weakness lies in the ignor-