Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1906-01-19
A GLOOMY VIEW OF 1906.
Radical Russian Press Sees No Prospect
Of Peace.

ndutCdi nuSoldu TCSS SCCS wv ] tVSpOOA
g Of Peace.
st. Petersburg, Jan. 16.-The note
struck by the Radical press in review
ing the last year and commenting on
the outlook for the new year 10 an tx
tremely pessimistic one. The newf-
papers generally see no prospect of it,
ternal peace, but they unite in ex-
pressing the hope that 1906 will not end
as did 1905 with the spirit OF reaction
strongly in the ascendant.
The NovOe Vremya and the SlOvO,
on the contrary, look to tue DOuma to
put seal on the charter OF the peoples
liberties and to restore tranquility to
the distracted country.
brilliant of Russian journalists, who
served term of exile for his famous
political feuilleton in which he ar
raigned the members of the Imperial
family as public bandits, and who re-
Gently has been living in Rome, in an
article on Russia . future predicts that
the coming year will witness the fl
nancial and political bankruptcy of the
Government.
Tue list of the New Year donors is
notable for the number of decorations
bestowed on the Off clals associated with
the policy of repression. M. Durnovo,
who, SO far as the proletariat organi-
cations are concerned, is the most
hated man is public life, has been
promoted from Acting Minister of the
Interior to Minister, thus increasing
the influence of the bureaucratic bier
archy. 1t is significant that in the an
nual renewal of appointments Count
S0sky, president of the Council of the
Empire, and tue heads OF departments
in the council have been appointed
until the reorganization of that
body"
The Emperor and Empress held a
New Years. reception in the. palace at
Tsarakoe Selo today, to which the
members of the diplomatic corps
travelled in a special train from st. Pc
tersbnrg. The reception was formal
affair, to which only the court func
tionaries, diplomatists and few no
bles were invited. 1t passed without
notable incident. The absence OF
Count Witte created some comment,
but it was officially explained that the
reception was special one for the
representatives of the foreign powers.
The only Minister invited was Count
Lamsd0rff, Minister of Foreign Al
fairs.
Tue Emperor looked well and spoke
PLEASANTLY to all the visitors, specially
singing out MIR. Meyer, the American
Ambassador. and Herr Won Schoen. the
& erman Ambassador. This being the
first time the Emperor had met Mr..
Meyer since his return from the United
States, he took occasion to renew his
expressions of gratitude for the part
played by President Roosevelt and the
| United States in bringing about peace
| with Japan.
Mr.. Meyer presented Robert Woods
Bliss. second secretary OF the embassy
Major William w. Gibson, the new
military attache; Lieut.. Com. hoy
Campbell Smith, the naval attachs at
Paris and st. Petersburg. and Basil
Miles, of Philadelphia. the new diplo
ma tic secretary.
The sanQuinary tragedy in the IA
NOUS restaurant. The Bear" early
this morning, in which student,
Davidoff, was shot and killed by Count
Sherometieff and the Count was badly
battered by friends of the dead man,
has cast shadow over the New Year
festivities. The custom OF making
New Year calls obtains in Rusfla to
larger extent than in any other cOun-
try of the world, and at every reception
TODAY the affair at 1.-THE Bear" was q
subject of conversation, it being gen
orally accepted by superstltious Rus
SLAMS as an augury that blood, passion
and violence will reign IN the Empire
in 1906.
Strangely enough, the Zritel (Spcc-
tator) this morning printed picture
renreseptinp the specter of death in
terruptlng and spreading consterna-
ton at New Year feast.