The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-12-03
ST. PETERSBURG
DRESSES UP
FOR TAFT
American Secretary Of War
Bombarded With Official
Courtesies-- Kept Moving.

ST. PETERSBURG, Dec. William
II. Taft, the American Secretary of
War;, and the members of his party
arrived in this city today from Mos
cow. The visitors were met at the
railroad station by a deputation of
officers representing the Minister of
| War, the Military Governor and other
officials of st. Petersburg. Among those
at the station were Count Konitz, who
has been appointed imperial aide to
Secretary Taft during his stay in st.
Petersburg. The secretary and his
parry took up their quarters in the
Hotel De LEurope.
Immediately after his arrival at the
hotel the secretary started on a round
of official calls. He went first to see
Foreign Minister Iswolsky and General
Rudiger, the Minister of War, and then
called upon the grand dukes who are
at present living here. These include
Nicholas Nicholaivitch, Alexander
Michaelovitch and half a dozen others.
Secretary Taft had desired to visit
the Douma, where an interesting ses-
sion is expected his afternoon, but
this was made impossible by the late
hour at which his train arrived here.
The carriages of the American embassy
with their iiveried servants, in which the
Secretary drove while paying his calls,
were recognized everywhere. Crowds
gathered, in spite of 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 nature OF
his mission, the visit of Mr.. Taft has
| aroused the liveliest interest and curiosity.
The Rossia, the official organ of the gov
rnment however, makes an effort to cor
rect these wrong impressions. In a leading
article extending to Secretary Taft an
%''open-door Russian welcome" the paper
says. '"rh high position and the personal
merits Of Secretary Taft explain he
heartiness Of his reception n the honor
of an audience Of the Emperor, but it is n
mistake to suppose that Mr. Taft's visit
is in any way connected with a change
in the International policy of Russia.
There is not a word Of truth i'm the rumors
that we are to give base for al American
fleet at Vladivosto5 or any other Pacific
port. but the visit of Secretary Taft will
renew and strengthen the old bonds OF
| sympathy between Russia aud America"
All the other newspapers devote space
to welcoming Secretary Taft. and the
tone of each and every one is of unmixed
~friendliness, Mr.. Taft is expected to al
Iude to the rumors in a speech he will
make at the banquet to be given him
tonight by the members Of the American
colony of this city, and he will then give
/ them American denial.
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-Selo alone.
| Tomorrow evening the Secretary will at
tend a banquet at Foreign Minister Iswol-
skv's. which will be followed by "A big re-
| ception of the diplomatic corps and Rus
sian official society.
Secretary Taft probably will be forced
TO 20 to Boulogne to catch the steamer
| President Grant, on which he returns to
| She United States. The President Grant
leaves Hamburg December z and Boulogne
December 8.
When questioned regarding the Presiden-
tIal situation in the United States Secre-
| tnrv Taft requested to be excused from
expressing any opinion, He said he had
announced a year ago his readiness to
accept the nomination in case It was given
TO him, and that his attitude had not
| changed since.