The Minneapolis journal., 1905-01-24
RUSSIA'S RUIN IN
DUCAL BLUNDERS
High Official of Russ Embassy in
Washington Lays Blame
for Chaos.
FAITH IN THE CZAR
DESTROYED BY TROOPS
Order to Shoot Down Peaceful
Pilgrims to Palace Is Coun-
try's Ruin, He Says.
Special to The Journal.


Chicago, Jan. 24.-"This is the be-
ginning of revolution in my country.
My government will be overthrown.
The grand dukes and the men response
BILE for this awful, this fatal blunder,
should, be taken out and hanged at
once.'
These remarks were made to me to-
day, by Russian who holds high Of
fetal post at Washington, says Walter
the Record-Herald. His identity can
not be disclosed. He spoke with re-
markable frankness, and the converse
tion was a remarkable one. 1t would
create g. genuine sensation swere / to
give the Russian s name.
am further informed that late last
night Count Cassini, the Russian am
bassador to Washington, received i'm
portant dispatches from the govern
ment. On reading them the count was
greatly agitated. His face turned
white. It was only with the greatest
difficulty he could speak. He wrung
his hands and walked the floor, NUT
tering imprecations upon those in au-
thority who had, thru their criminal
his country.
Russian Nation Ruined.
Tho Russian with whom talked held
che view that his nation was irretriev-
ably ruined. He said If revolution did
not come at once, it would come soon.
This was the beginning Of the end.
others in authority about. the palace.
They had kept the czar in ignorance
: had made. the car believe his
life was in danger and had spirited him
away and placed him in hiding. They
had given orders to the troops to ire
upon the men, women and children, in
nocent people who were doing no wrong,
who were meditating no crime Tor; de-
struction, and they had thereby sealed
the fate Of the empire.
Gloomy View of Future.
This Russian official, himself an aris.
tocrat and one of the governing class
with all his sympathies on the side Of
autocracy, and a man of the best in
formation as to the condition of his
government and his country, took the
gloomiest possible view of the future
He said the rivers of blood that haC
flowed in st. Petersburg would in the
end, if not speedily, overwhelm tht
Russian throne. If the ezar's advisers
and the palace party had permitted hin
had restrained the troops from firing
upon them, all might have been we'll
The crisis could have been passed.
Lost Faith in Gear.
1.-THE people long ago lost faith il
the government, he said. HNoy
they have lot faith in the czar. Ever
Russian is taught to reverence the czai
"He is not only the head of the state
but the head of the church. He is Eth
little father Till now they have be
]ieved he would do no harm. The char
acter Of the present czar has helped tn
people to retain their faith in tn
throne. The common people believe
see that they have been mistaken o
that he is SO completely dominated b
the grand dukes, the reactionaries an
the military party that there is n
hope.'
Expects R1oting Everywhere.
MY Russian informant thought th
disorder in st. Petersburg would quicl
ly extend thruout the empire. He e.
pected to hear serious rioting in a
Of the large cities, also in Poland an
Finland. He even went so far as
say that it would be necessary to- reca
troops from the far east to deal wit
the situation at home.
He feared, also, the moral effect tt
news Of the massacre would have upc
the armies at the front. 1t will tai
some time. he said, for Kuropatkin
soldiers to get the news, but when the
do get it, and learn that while they a.
fighting in the field their brother
fathers and mothers have been sh
down in the streets by order of tt
government, no one can tell what tt
effect will be. ~