Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-21
HIS RULE SHATTERED.
Overthrow of PobedonostSef
of Russia.
THE ENEMY OF REFORM
PROTESTS AGAINST THE CARS
LIBERAL VIEWS.
Induced Emperor Alexander II to
Abandon His Whole Lib
eral Policy.
THE ENEMY OF REFORM

ST. PETERSBURG, May 2O.-The power
of NJ. Pobedonostseff procurator general of
the holy synod. who, for the twenty-five
years since he induced Emperor Alexander
IL to overthrow Loris-Melikof and abandon
his whole reform policy, has been dominat-
ing the reactiOnary influence of the Russian
state. seems shattered at last. He is over
eighty years old is confined to bed pracu-
cally continuously. believes he sees every
thing for which he fought slipping away
and is dying embittered old man. Yet
with the threads of life swapping he still
protests with all the fire of his remarkable
mentality.
Secret of His Sway.
NJ Pobedonostseff has been denominated a
fanatic by the west The secret of his Won
-derful sway over the minds of two emper-
ors has been his unshaken belief in and de-
votion to the principles of autocracy ana
orthodoxy the firm corner stones OF Rus-
sias future greatness. Holy Russia, he be-
lieved with all the intensity of his soul,
was destined to dominate the globe, and ne
was ever fond of asserting, as he dld TO
Senator Beveridge of Indiana: Russia,
Russia is not a state; Russia is world
F.guratively. NJ Pobedonostseff spat upon
the civilization Of the west. Democracy ~
him was irresponsible despotism and nperty
a license and he was especially hostile TO
free press. For irresponsible edltors slttIhS
i'm Judgment on any and everything and
lightly fomenting trouble and international
strife for which a monarch would be de,
throned and responsible officials dlsgraced
was to him an aoomination.
Victories Were Legion.
IT. the council of the empire for quarter
of a century none of the emperor's minis
ters could hold his own against NJ. Pobe-
donostsef, and his victories were legion.
With all his might and main he struggled,
oil p1i Inst q
reform movement and in recent months
when he was unable to win outright he
managed at least to secure the appearance
of a draw by inspiring his imperial master
to balance the reform rescript with fedc-
tionary manifesto. His last signal triumph
was the blocking of the scheme of the
Metropolitan Antonius for church coun-
Gil and the restoration of the patriarchate,
and in having the satisfaction of seeing its
author practically banished to the Cau-
caSus.
But the crowning defeat of NJ. Pobedon-
ostseff came with the imperial ukase striek-
ing the shackleS from religion, the blow
being all the harder because Ii was dellv-
cred on the anniversary of his jubilee
procurator general of the holy synod.
Sees Only Ruin Ahead.
To intimates who admitted to his bed
room NJ. Pobedonostseff talks bitterly. He
says he has lost hopes and washes his
hands of everything. He sees only ruin
ahead for church and state. The govern
ment, he declares, has gone mad, and to
allow the people to play with questions of
state as they would with new toys is de-
plorable. The crisis he attributes to the
lack of O strong and commanding states
man and he severely blames the emperor
for his weakness in yielding to the impor-
tunities of the liberals. Pobedonostseff said
yesterday to a friend: Ten years ago one
of the emperor's subjects would have been
exiled to Siberia for what the emperor now
procaims in his imperial manifesto"
Strange to say, Prince Mestchersky, edi-
tor of the Grashdanin and political defend
er of the autocracy, gloats over the down
fall of his religious rival. While admitting
the procuratOr generals passionate love
and veneratiOn for the church, Prince Nest
chersky describes him as the incarnation
OF negation, not only with regard to foreign
ideas, but toward anything new
Junks Leave Cape st. John.
HONGKONG. May 2O.-According to in
formation received here today the $50 deep
ly laden junks presumably loaded with
provisions for the Russian ieeO which
were sighted May 1G twenty miles off Cape
St. John, by a correspondent who proceeded
from here to Kwangchau bay, north of the
island of Hainan. have left the vicinity OF
Cape st. John and it is added are probably
seeking TO effect a junction with Admiral
RoJestvensky's fleet.
To Inspect French Coast.
SAIGON Cochin-Chna, May 20.-Admiral
de Jonqueres, the French naval COM
mander, sailed from here today on the
cruiser Guichen. His destination was not
announced. but it is understood that he Is
going TO make another inspection of the
coast 10 see IL French neutrality is being
infringed.
Dissipation in Russian Army.
ST. PETERSBURG, May 21.-Dispatches
from Harbin report carnival of drunken
ness and dissipation among the hangerson
of the rear army. Champagne at SO a
bottle is said to be flowing like rivers, dives
are abundant and multitude of sharpers
and gamblers reaping a rich harvest.
The emperor, at Gen Linevitchs request,
has appointed a new provost marshal gem
eral and the commander-n-chief intends
TO wage vigorous campaign to restore
order and institute more satisfactory con-
dltons in the rear.
An Official Belief.
Special Cablegram to The Star.
ST. PETERSBURG. May 20.-The men,
bers of the admiralty council. for the first
time. today express a belief that battle
between the Russian and Japanese fleets is
t,npofuant General Kurnra tl5fn falerraDhS