New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-05-01
CAR PUTS LID ON.
Nicholas Stops Gambling as the
Cause Of Official Corruption.

nov Governor of st Petersburg General DRAFT
cheWski. an eGict which is calculated 10 have n
lar more serious influence upon his future than any
Of his projects Of political reform 1t is an ed.ct
got merely for the suppression OF gambling but
for The closing Ct all those social clubs where play
ms cares Tor money IS found 20 prevail There
have been previous manifesoes about the gambling
mama at 81 Petersburg during the present and
during the previous reign. But hitherto the i'm
perial directions about the matter have remained
10 a great extent dead letter General Drat-
cAeHski. however, has made It clear that on this
occasion tic matter IS q very serious one; that
NJ IS determined TO obey the orders of the Gar
very strinSently, and that the commands OF the
Car are such rs admit misconstruction, both
Nicholas and his cOnsort being firmly resolved to
stamp out that high play cards which is the
curse C Russian life and responsible for nine
tenths Of the official dishonesty and for the social
decentralization
II Russians were content to play cards Ike
Americans and Western nations IN general that
IS TO say. IN sensible fashion, keeping their wits
ABOUT them ana the stakes in relative moderation
no one would dream of Offering any objection 10
TIE pastime. But the Slav and Tartar characters,
"tllch together so 10 make up the Russian nature.
are always prone to senseess extrava gance in poll
ueS ana sociology, nay, in philosophy and
particularly in the matter OF vices. Nowhere are
drunkenness, immortality and gambling carried TO
more insane lengths than in the domnions of the
Gar Of which the population of the German
speaking provinces constitutes the leaven, and the
Poles make the useless, frivolous froth.
Nicholas, who is far level headed man
and infinitely courageous than by the
indictments OF his nation and by ignorant
scribes abroad. has had opportunity of ascer-
tanning that the of nearly all that venality
and dishonesty which the bane of Russia and
the obstacle TO reform is gambling; that when
naval military civil official renders himself
guilty OF embezzlement, Of fraud and OF corrup-
lion, II is. IN ninety-nine a hundred, in
order 20 obtain the pay off those so-called
debts OF homer contracted at cards. He appre-
ciates the fact that if he at once put stop
gambling he will have done more TO bring about
administrative integrity than anything else that
he could devise and that is hopeless to dream Of
any reform long the mania for high play con-
tnues TO prevail
While the gambling mania pervades every class
Of the social scale in Russia. it is al It's worst in
the highest ranks Of offcialdom and of the grand
monde. Some of the members of the reigning fam
ily the greatest offenders IN this respect, par
ticularIy the German born Grand Duchess Nladi-
mir. who Is largely responsible for the Inaugural
ton Of the roulette wheel Indispensable art
Gle Of furniture in all the smartest salons of the
aristocraCy at St. Petersburg having been warmly
seconded therein by Princess Nellie Bariatinsh
The late Emperor Alexander III often ntimated to
the grand duchess his disapproval OF the encour-
agenent which she gave 10 gambling in high hfe'
and conduct in the matter led TO her estrange-
1nent with her sister-iR-law, now the widowed
Czarina This is a matter in which the Empress
mother and her daugher-in-law, the reigning Car
ina are united, and if the Grand Duchess Vladimir
sDends 50 much OF her time abroad it is because
she has long since ceased to be friendly terms
with the Emperor and the two Expresses
NO MORE CARD PLAYING AT CLUBS.
Only those who have lived in ST. Petersburg can
realize what the suppression Of gambling by the
police. honestly executed will really mean TO Of
fcialdom and 70 society. There are thousands OF
the great mobiles Of the leading statesmen of the
highest dgnitartes Of the court Of the ohclal
world. Of the army, Of the navy and Of the civil
administration 10 whom high play at cards Is as
i-ais9eusable a feature their existence as food
and drink and xho will, If debarred therefrom' ex-
re-.erce lie same sense Of desperation as NOR
phtne or cocaine fend when deprived Of his IA
vori.e drug. Moreover. the principal clubs. the
so-csred English CLUB. the Yacht Club, the Noble
Club the Automobile Club. etc, al ST Petersburg,
I'll exist entirely 10y means Of card tables. With
out thenl they could Eot I've Yet General Brat
chewski announces IN he name Of the Car that II
he discovers that cards played there he Will
close Up the clues and prosecute the Offenders
Under the circumstances. ruin confronts all the
smgrtest and most exclusive clubs Of st. Peters
burg and society is convinced that the Emperor
has become as crazy and as impossible as his an
cestor, Gar Paul
CARS LIFE NOW IN DANGER
The revoI,uionists until have spared En-
peror Nicholas have spared his wife. have spared
his children, although their lives were frequently
within their reach, because they convinced
that Nicholas means well. that he is imbued with
liberal and humane principles and that II he IL
prevented from giving them freer rein than mas
been the case It is on accoun. OF the disloyalty
k.g-ff -,FE +sfrc ar7d Off