Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-02-20
BOMBS BEFORE REFORM.
Grand Dukes Words Now Recalled
Striking Force.

Paris. Feb. 1G..-rhr assassination Of
Grand Duke Sercils absorbs public and
official attention. as personally the
Grand duke was well known here OWNS;
to his frequent visits, while politically
he YVES regarded i'm government circles
as tn" real power behind the throne.
Accordingly the authorities are ASSOC
ciating themselves with I;uSsa's official
reriod of mourning. Foreign Minister
Dclcasse's gala reception which was to
take place, Saturday. has been post
p0ncd.
The conclusions Of the international
commission IF inquiry into the North
sea incident may also he Interrupted
owing to the desire Of Vice Admiral
Toubassof. the Russian representative
on the commission. not 10 participate
pending the obseQuics.
Solemn memorial services We're cele-
bratcd this morning ut The Russian
orthodox church. Ambass2 dor Nelidoff
and many Russian officials attending.
Rear Admiral Davis, the American
representative on the North sea COM
mission. was among the callers at the
Russian embassy to express coincidence.
Grand Duke Sergius VISITED Paris
each year with the grind duchess Eli
Zabeth. They appeared to be quite
Democratic. stopping at the hotel de
liverpool promcnadinS the boulevards,
driving in the Bots de Eoulogne and
visiting shopping and arr centers.
The grand duk" attracted marked at
tcntion from his massive appearance.
He was the largest Of Alexander lis
big sons and was over SIN feet tall, a
heavy blond beard surrounding a rud-
dy aid rather benevolent face with
strong features. The grand duke and
grand duchess observed strict incogni-
20. So as to permit of larger liberty of
action.
Scmi-official letters just received here
from st. Petersburg give prophetic
sidelights upon the events leading up
t. the assassination.
Grand Duke Sergius. it is pointed out,
WIS an uncompromising opponent of
any reform. which he declared was or
c1nized warfare against autocracy
handed down lay the emperors. He eX-
Arcised strong influence in this direction
upon his brother Alexander III.
One day Alexander exasperated with
the popular unrest, declared the agitators
ought 20 be sent to the forests of the
Caucasus to feed upon acorns Sergius
replied:
THAT would he more digestive and less
dangerous than letting them nurse idle
dreams of mountaineering. Tor every pre-
tended liberal is at heart u bomb
throv;er.
Nicholas il against the realization OF re-
form. He Frequently spoke of III" assas-
sinatiJn OF his father Alexander IL, rep
resenting to Nicholas thar the crime was
a cha StiSement of heaven for relaxing the
aut, cratic power to the liberal demands
When the recent liberal movement de-
'I;ettcr far that We perish by bombs
than by reform. There is some bravery
in the first. There is only cowardice in
the last
1t was the result of this persistent at
ti,ude OF Grand Duke Sersius against re-
form that largely inspired the late minis
ter of the interior, Won Plehve's iron ad-
More recently it was the grand duke
who sent Gcnu. Trepoff to subdue the up
rising at ST. Petersburg with an iron
hand TIE check to former Minister OF
the interior SViatopolk MirSkyS liberal
plans and the subsequent retirement OF
SViatopoili-Mirsky are attributed TO Ser
The foregoing extracts from semi-offi
cial letters (mailcd before the aSSiSsana-
ton Of the grand duke conclude as fol
lows:
However, one ought not to think
Grand Duke Scrgus hard or. cruel at
heart. lie is thoroughly good and be-
ncveent. He fully believes that the re-
PRECISION of reforms will save Russia
from terrible convusions and assure the
people a happy outcome The best proof
that Sergius is not a bloody man IS his
horror OF warfare He opposed the Japa
| nese war until hostilities began, and II
peace had been realized it would certain |
ly have been owing to SerSius' powerful
influence
The Grand Duchess Elizabeth is greatly
liked here owing to her amitbillty. which |
was generally considered to be in marked
contrast with Grand Duke SerEuis dis |
position.
An American naval officer who visited
Moscow a few months ago went to the
Kremlin, where contributions were being |
| received for the Red Cross. The grand |
| duchess personally received the cnntribu- |
tons and graciously gave receipts in her
own Handwriting.