Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-03
Party Was Cordially Received
There This Morning.
ROUND OF OFFICIAL CALLS
Very Lively Popular Interest in the
Visit.
STATEMENT FROM THE PRESS
Denial Of the Persistent Rumor That
the Visit Has Any Interna-
tional Significance.

ST. PETERSBURG, December 3.-WiI.
liam H. Taft, the American Secretary OF
War, and the members of his party ar
rived in this city today from Moscow
The visitors were met at the railroad sta
ton by a deputation Of officers represent
ing the minister of war. the military gov
ernor and other officials of st. Peters.
burg. Among those at the station were
Count Konitz, who has been appointed i'm
perial aid to Secretary Taft during his
stay in st. Petersburg. The Secretary
and his party took up their quarters a,
the Hotel de rEurope
Immediately after his arrival at the
hotel the Secretary, accompanied by
Brig. Gen. Clarence R. Edwards,
Montgomery Schuyler, jr., the Amer.
lean charge d'affaires, and Can't. s
L. II. Slocun. the American military
attache at st. Petersburg. satrted on
a round of official calls. He went
first to see Foreign Minister Iswolsky and
Gen. Rudiger. the minister of war. ard
then called upon the grand dukes who are
at present living here. These include
Nicholas Nicholaievitch, Alexander Mi.
chaelovitch and half dozen others.
Secretary Taft had desired to visit the
duma. where an interesting session is
expected this afternoon. but this was
made impossible by the late hour at which
his train arrived here.
cheered on the Streets.
Tne carriages Of the American embassy,
with their liverted servants. in which Tho
Secretary drove while paying his calls.
were recognised everywhere Crowds
gathered in spite Of the threatening
weather. and General Taft" as the Sec
fetary has come to be called here. was
cheered again and again.
Owing to the extraordinary ruuors in
circulation here regarding the nature OF
his mission. the visit OF Mr.. Taft has
aroused the liveliest interest and curiosity
The Rossia. the official organ of the gov.
ernment. however. makes an effort to cor.
rect these wrong Impressions. In a lead.
ing article extending to Secretary Taft
an open-door Russian welcome the
paper says:
Official Statement.
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
a mistake to suppose that Mr.. iaft's
visit Is in any way connected with a
change in the international policy of Rus
sia. There is not word of truth in the
rumors that we are to give base for an
American feet at Vladivostok or any
other Pacific port: but the visit of Secre-
tary Tart will renew and strengthen the
old bonds of sympathy between russia
and America
The papers devote much space to well
comes to Secretary Taft, and every one is
friendly Mr.. Taft is expected to allude
10 the rumors In a speech he will make at
a banquet to be given him this evening by
the members of the American colony of
this city. and he will then give them
American denial.
Taft in a Hurry.
The Empress of Russia is indisposed, and
she probably will not be able to receive
Mrs. Taft tomorrow. consequently the
Secretary will go to Tsarskoe-Seloe alone
Tomorrow evening the Secretary will at.
tend banquet at Foreign Minister Iswol-
sky's. which will be followed by a big
reception of the diplomatic. corps and Rus
sian official society.
Secretary Taft probably will be forced
to go TO Boulogne to catch the steamer
President Grant on which he returns to
the United States. The President Gran,
leaves Hamburg December and Bou.
iogne Dece mber g.
Mrs. Taft accompanied by Mrs. George
Post Wheeler. wife of the second secre
tary of the American embassy at Toxic
will go from here to Vienna and Paris
She will return to the United States sew
eral weeks after her husband.
When questioned regarding the pre-
dental situation in the United States Sec
retary Taft requested to be excused from
expressing any opinion.
He said he had announced year age
his readiness to accept the nomination il
case ii was given to him and that his at
titude had not changed since.
Special Car for Taft.
BERLIN. December 3. - Ambassador
Tower has arranged. through the foreign
Office. that special car be placed at tn,
disposition of Secretary Taft and hi
party when they reach the station on tn,
frontier between Russia and Germany
According to the present plan, which
however. may be changed at any momen
should the Secretary find 1t necessary t
take the steamer President Grant a
| Boulogne. the train which will bring tn
| Taft car from the frontier will arrive a
| Berlin at 7:15 Friday evening. 1t will b
attached to the 11:J6 train that sam
q night for Hamburg. Ambassador Towe
has invited Secretary Taft to spend thi
interval at his house and partake of
family dinner.
Later the staff of the embassy, Consu
General and Mrs. Thackara. and som
other Americans will be invited in to NEE
the Secretary. There will be no oppor
tunity for Mr.. Taft to see any Germa
statesmen or accept any hospitality.
Presuming that the Secretary will 60 I
Hamburg. ii has been arranged that hi
car be sidetracked there so that the res
OF the party shall be unbroken. 1t wi
then be picked up by the steamer trai
going to Cuxhaven TO catch the Presiden
Grant on Saturday.