Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-03-11
GENERAL kUROPATkiN'S
Deposition Is Now a Certainty After
His Latest Defeat.

st. Petersburg. March i0.-Aftcr his
ackno wledged d"fea: at MukdeE. Gen.
kuropatkin dcrositicE may be regard
ed as certain. War Minister Sakharoff
is picked as his probable successor.
though Grand Duke Nicholas Nichol-
asevitch or Il board of strategists may
he entrusted With The dire elton of at
flirs.
a strong faction o. the army those
high in influence. abOu. the Emperor
opposed Gen. kuropatkiE from the
first, and though mis- early defeats were
ccndoned because 1t was realized that
Gen. kurOpatkin was doing all that
man could 10 with the tools at his
command. it is new ftlt that after twice
having had the opportunity to show
what he could do with Il powerful
army. and having failed to accomplish
victory either time his removal is adj
visable.
a high military official said Thursday
night that the Emperor had had enough
Of a general whose Interpretation of
victory was Successful retreat; that
Fabian tactics are we'll enough in their
way. but that EUROPA ikin went beyond
those OF FabiuS and neglected to take
account of favorable opportunities for
counter-strokes. Friends Of Gen. Kuro-
patkin; however, say that no other gen.
cral is apt to do as well rs he has done
and declare thai his removal may mean
as in the American Civil war the eX-
change of Hood for ? Johnston
The news Of the retreat on Tie pass
is bound to revive talk of peace though
if Field Marshal Oyama has failed to
crush Gen. Kuropatkin peace is no
more Imperative now than it was last
month.
Peace advocates point out as a signi-
ficant fact the departure of Vice AG-
rnral RnZhdestvcnsky squadron from
Madagascar for Jubuitili Simultaneous
~ with the loss of II. battle of Muk-
don and intim;lt" tina. perhaps the re q.
call of the feet may have been adopted
in view of the latter event. The move
nent on the other hand. may be in
pursuance Of a plan for a junction be-
tween RoZhd@stvenSky and the re-en-
forcing squadron preparatory to giving
battle 10 Admiral Togo feet
The peace movement admittedly has
Il strong following "ven in the minis
try. but it cannot be stated now wheth-
~ the defeat ut Mukd IN has been effec-
tive enough to turn the scale. No deci-
sion can be taken, at least until the
extent of the reverse is known. More
important still. however. is the effect
on the internal affairs Of Russia
Defeat is not unwolcome to the Lib
erals who argue tina. the graver the
governments difficulties. the greater
the extent of the reforms, which it NAV
he forced to concede. Al the present
crisis the project of III" reform rescript
Of March 3. has not been worked out
although it has been the subject of
much deliberations A commission is vet
to be appointed. Whereas yesterday the
| idea was to have purely consultative.
hody meeting perhaps separately. ac-
ccrding to estates, thu existing condi-
ton OF affairs may force the commits
sion to propose long towards a more in.
0uantial body possessing the initiative
in legislation. the strange spectacle il
thus presented Of men who claim to bc
| patriotic Russians rejoicing over tho
defeat of their country on foreign hat.
| tlefields.
The revolutionsts probably will NO
tho defect as a ,re;ext to renew je-
r,onstrations against war.