Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-02-05
The FUTURE Of RUSSIA
Lewis Nixon Predicts a Great
Regeneration in the Cars
Country
--1-, @~,Ar~
MEN DEVELOPING
STRONG
shpbuiIder Tells Of the Fine oppor-
tunity for the Expansion of Ameri-
can Trades in the Russias-Greater
Railway Facilities are Needed-oth-
err News.

tue great l;llu OF SteppeS, LEWIS NlAou
recently returned from Russia. whittier
he went several months ago to super
wise for the Russian government the
construction Of nine torpedo boats.
says the New York Herald. A visitor
to the car and n counsellor with many
of the men foremost in Russian politi-
cal life, Mr. Nixon is perhaps better
equipped than any other American to
speak OF conditions in the land which
has been upset during tie past year by
internal disorder.
More than year ago. when there
was immediate demand for the con-
struction OF ships to guard the baltic.
Mr. Nixon was summoned to Russia
and asked to undertake the building of
a small fleet of torpedo boats. Other
shipbuilders from European cities had
been asked to submit bids for the
work but the specifications were so
exacting as to tine that they declined
to interest themselves. Mr.. Nixon con
tracted to produce the first torpeo boat
in six weeks after he began work. and
many persons, regarding the task inn
possible, laughed at his temerity. He
delivered the first boat in exactly five
weeks and five days and exceeded his
guarantee throughout his contract.
Mr.. NiXon's first visit to the car was
made several months ago in the impe-
rial residence at Tsarskoe-Selo. Speak
ing Of it. he said:
81 found the car most friendly and,
furthermore, sincerely believing In the
friendship Of the American people. His
grandfather was friendly to America
when we We're four years fighting to
settle constitutional question and
when many of the things going on IN
Russia few weeks ago were being
done here The emperor is perfectly
familiar with recent agricultural devel-
opment Of other countries, such as
Egypt and the northwestern part of
the United States and Canada, show
ing plainly that the question Of the
welfare of the tillers of the soil Is re-
ceiving careful study on his part"
care the many stories about the bad
physical condition Of the emperor true
and, as has been reported, is he uncon-
cerned about what is going on?" was
asked.
II was particularly struck with his
appearance of health He is in perfect
physical condition and full Of youthful
vigor and hns not gray hair. He
stands erect and shows in his carriage
that the tremendous strain is not af-
fecting his strength. He impressed
me as having decided grasp Of the
situation and that there would be no
shrinking from his responsibilities. His
sincerity III desiring to have the peo-
pie take part in the government Is con-
coded even by all parties in Russia.
"In proclamation on Oct. IL the
car granted certain liberties, and the
new government under the premiership
of Count Witte has been formulating
necessary temporary laws to carry
these liberties into effect. The care
necessary In their preparation made
haste impossible, and advantage was
taken Of this fact to engender distrust
In the new ideas of government and at
the same time to use such distrust as
a means of embarrassing the national
administration.
Heretofore the great difficulty in the
Russian form of government was to
find great men equal to the task Of car
ru;,, ~ An D,>ta;o Ito nc 1,-o Lnoxr ~
has not existed there. With the insti-
tuition Of the douma the strong men are
bound to make themselves felt, and the
results will be that the car will not
lack for competent advisers and ad-
am convinced that as
soon as the douma gets going thorough
~ new day will dawn for Russia and
her people. There is bound to be Won
derful commercial development, and
with this will come an awakening Of
and exercise of limited con-
government which are bound
to result In peace and tranquility and
the restoration of Russia to its high
place among the powers of the world"
Discussing opportunities for the ex-
pansion Of American trade in Russia,
Mr.. Nixon spoke enthusiastically. AL
though Germany has stepped in and
captured good share Of the trade in
certain lines, American manufactures
still lead, and they are making united
effort to increase their field.
Opportunities for American enter
PRISE" said, Mr.. Nixon, "are tremen-
dous. The same openings are there
that existed in our own country forty
years ago. We already send great
quantities of agricultural implements
there, but, Els usual, the farseeing Ger
mans are cutting in on this. Many
new industries are being domesticated,
and they are generally profitable, as
close corners do not have to be turned,
as is done here and competition is not
so fierce One must understand the
Russian character and methods Of do
ing business, which, while not radically
different from our own. ere neyerthe-
less to be reckoned with, and these
can only misunderstood by actually liv-
ing and doing business there.
"They are fair to the foreign investor,
but are keenly alive to their rights I'm.
der contracts or agreements and, while
ready to give every confidence, resent
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