Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-26


the other day:
''The grand dukes are not all as bad as
they painted. Some of them are able,
honest and conscientious men. but they are
reactionaries, opposed to all progress and
believe In sustaining the fiutocracy and pre-
venting reforms. Others are vicious. cor
rupt and altogether wicked. but are more
liberal in their views and advocate a
broader policy than has been followed by
the government A third class are both
vicious. corrupt and reactionary. and would
be curse to any nation in which they
might live. They have been guilty of most
atrocious acts and responsible for the most
disreputable scandals, and, knowing their
character and disposition. the public is
against them. Many escapades are attrib-
uted to them Of which they are not guilty.
Stories manufactured in Berlin and Vienna
find their way into the newspapers that are
often entirely fictitious or founded upon
gross Misrepresentation and exaggerations,
or else have been committed by some one
else AT the same time they are contin-
ually mixed up in dirty scandals have
never believed the stories about the grand
dukes robbing the government or stealing
supplies, because they have plenty of money
without doing those things. But 1t is true
that most of them are surrounded nv cor
rupt and impecunious favorites. whom thew
protect IN all kinds of rascality'
Vladimir's Family.
According to general repute, the family Of
OF the emperor. are the worst. Their i'm
morality is common gossip among the
peasants. and the two sons, Boris, who WIS.,
tied the United States two years ago. and
cyril, who had a narrow escape at Port
arthur, are notorious for their scandalous
escapades.
The Grand Duke Alexis, who visited the
onited states In 1872 and had buffalo
hunt with General Sheridan, is the most
liberal, broad-minded and progressive in
political views of all the family; but his
life Is given up to dissipation and he has
lost all sense of propriety and self-respect
Alexis is captain high admiral, the auto
crat of the Russian navy; but he pays very
little attention to his duties, leaves every
thing to favorite subordinates, who have
authority to speak and act in his name
and control the expenditure of vast sums
OF money for which there is no way to
compel them to account. 1t is an open
secret that the navy department is the
constant scene Of frightful corruption
which must be known to Alexis and per-
mitted by him.
Alexander.
His cousin, Alexander Michaeloyitch
uncle of the emperor and husband of the
latters sister Xenica, Is second In command
or the navy, and Is a very different man
from Alexts-so different that the two are
the bitterest enemies. Alexander is a seri-
ous honest student of naval science; very
popular and highly respected by the best
omcers In the service, and possessing the
pupllc confidence to a high degree. He has
translated into Russian all of the works of
captain Mahan and several other authori-
ties on naval affairs and endeavors, as far
as ne Is able, to improve the morale and the
disclpllne of the service. But Alexis will
not permit him to do anything or to exer-
else any authority. They conflict in all
their habits and tastes. Alexander is the
habitual victim of the intrigues of the ia
va ~ 1nv; ov,I e.
the navy. For this reason he has been
compelled to retire from active participa-
ton in naval affairs, and has devoted him
self to building up merchant marine for
Russia. He is the only member Of the i'm
perial family who holds an actual working
portfolio in the cabinet, and is minister Of
commerce, navigation and ports. He de-
voted his entire time to the duties of his
Office and Is one of the hardest working men
In the government. He is man of domestic
tastes, is loyal to his wife and family. and
never hesitates to show his disapproval Of
the immortality and frivoltty Of his rela-
tives. At the same time. Alexander is very
conservative and is consistent in his OPP
position to all political reforms.
Sergius.
Grand Duke Sergius, another uncle of
the emperor who was recently removed as
governor of Moscow, has a reputation al
most as bad as that Of Ivan the Terrible
AAO 40 'iSAouoy VI dSip uiipi alu Ado
a fanatical hatred of the Jews, Protestants
and Roman Catholics. 1t is said of him
that his greatest pleasure Is found in the
sufferings of others. Some of the worst
scandals in Russian history have occurred
under the administration of Sergius. He
was responsible for the disappearance of
81, 600, 900 raised and contributed by the
empress for the relief of the sick and
wounded in the army in Manchuria. Where
hn ant fn ndu h rJ1
in the war Sergius called upon the patriotic
people of Moscow for contributions for the
same purpose, and one Of the wealthiest
men in that city, who owns several large
wooden mills, contributed 100000 blankets.
A few moths later he was approached by
a commission man, who sold him back the
same blankets for about half their value,
and they were returned to the warehouse
from which they had recently been given.
Sergius shortly after called upon the pub
lie for second contribution for the relief
Of sick and wounded soldiers, and the
wooden manufacturer sent him two rubles
which is about 81 in our money. The grand
duke was furious and ordered him arrest
ed and sent to Siberia. The manufacturer,
however, was promptly released when an
influential friend warned Sergius that the
story of the blanket transaction would be
published in every newspaper in Europe.
Sergius has resigned the governorship of
Moscow. The gossips say that he has been
removed and will be made governor Of the
Caucasus. which Is practical exile. equiva-
lent to being banished from the empire but
that is scarcely probable. His nephew and
brother-in-law would not be likely to deal
SO harshly with him, no matter what Of
lenses he has committed.
Constantine.
One of the ablest and most highly re-
spected and popular Of the grand dukes is
Constantine Constantinovitch, a second
cousin Of the emperor, who is the literary
member of the family and will have moth
ing to do with the government. He is very
conservative in his ideas. believes in the au-
tocracy and resists all political reforms,
spending his time in promoting science and
letters. He is president of the Imperial
Academy of Sciences and his hobby is the
imperial library, where may be found one
of the finest collections of books and manu-
scripts in the world. He has translated sew
eral of Shakespeare's plays and other Eng
lish classics into Russian and has himself
appeared in the role of Hamlet, supported
by professionals, at the Imperial Theater
in the winter palace.
Fraud Orders Issued.
Fraud orders have been issued by the
Post Office Department against the