The Mena weekly star., 1907-12-05


 St. Petersburg, Dec. 4.-Secretary Taft and party arrived Tuesday from Moscow. They were met by a depu- tation of officers representing the min ister of war, the military governor and other officials of St. Petersburg Among those at the station were Count Konitz. who has been appointed im- perial aide to Secretary Taft during his stay in St. Petersburg. The party took up their quarters in the Hotel De L'Europe.
 Immediately after his arrival at the hotel the secretary accompanied by Gen. Clarence R. Edwards, Montgom- cry Schuyler. Jr., the American charge d'affaires. and Capt. S. l.. H. Slocum. the American military attache at St. Petersburg, started on round of of ficial calls. He went first to see For eign Minister Iswolsky and Gen. Rudi- ger, the minister of war. and then called upon the grand dukes who are at present living here. These include Nicholas Nicholaievitch, Alexander Michaelovitch, and half dozen others.
 Secretary Taft had desired to visit the duma. but this was made impossi- ble by the late hour at which his train arrived here.
 The carriages of the American em- bassy. with their liveried servants, in which the secretary drove while pay ing his calls, were recognized every where. Crowds gathered in spite of the threatening weather and General Taft" as the secretary has come to be called here, was cheered again and again.
 Owing to the extraordinary rumors in circulation here regarding the na- ture of his mission, the visit of MT. Taft has aroused the liveliest interest and curiosity. The Rossia. the official organ of the government. however. makes an effort to correct the wrong impressions. In leading article ex- tending to Secretary Taft an "open door Russian welcome" the paper says:
 "The high position and the personal merits of Secretary Taft explain the heartiness of his reception and the honor of an audience of the emperor; but 1t is mistake to suppose that Mir. Taft's visit Is in any way connect ed with a change in the international policy of Russia. There is not word of truth in the rumors that we are to give base for an American fleet at Vladivostok or any other Pacific por.; but the visit of Secretary Taft will re- new and strengthen the old bonds of sympathy between Russia and Amer ica."
 All the other newspapers devote space to welcoming Secretary Taft, and the tone of each and every one is of unmixed friendliness. Mir Taft is expected to allude to the rumors in a speech he will make at the banquet to be given him Tuesday evening by the members of the American colony of this city and he will then give them American denial. The empress of Rus sia is indisposed. and she probably will not be able to receive Mrs. Taft Wednesday, consequently the secre- tary will go to Tsarskoe-Selo alone. Wednesday evening the secretary will attend banquet at foreign Minister Iswolskys residence. which will be followed by big reception of the dip lomatic corps and Russian official SO ciety.
 Secretary Taft probably will be forced to go to Boulogne to catch the steamer President Grant. on which he returns to tbA United States. The President Grant leaves Hamburg Dec. ', and Boulogne Dec. 8. Mrs. Taft. ac- companied by Mrs. George Post Wheel CT. wife of the second secretary of the American embassy. at Tokio. will go from here to Vienna and Paris. She will return to the United States sev- eral weeks after her husband.
 When questioned regarding the pres idential situation in the United tSates, Secretary Taft requested to be excused from expressing any opinion. He said he had announced year ago his readi- ness to accept the nomination in case 1t was given to him and that his at- .i&,I. haI ~ot ohopUad ofuoa