The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-12-04
ALL RUSSIA
 HONORS TAFT War Secretary Arrives at St. Petersburg. PRESS EXTENDS WELCOME The Emperor Nicholas Will Receive
 Him Today. The Diplomatic Corps and Russian of- aeial Societies VIII Compliment
 the secretary With Big /
 Banquet Tonight.
PRESS EXTENDS WELCOME

Taft, the American Secretary of War
 and the members of his party arrived | in this city today from Moscow. The visitors were met at the railroad sta | ton by deputation of officers repre- l senting the minister of war. the mili-
 tary 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 Secre- tary and his party took up their quar- ters in the Hotel De LEurope. Immediately after his arrival at the hotel, the Secretary. accompanied by Brigadier General Clarence R. Edwards. Montgomery Schuyler, Jr., the Ameri- can Charge D.Affaires. and Captain s. l.. H. Slocum. the American military attache at St. Petersburg, started on Q 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 Nicholaievitch. Alex, ander Michaeloyitch and half . dozen others.
 The carriages of the American em- bassy. with their iiveried servants. in which the Secretary drove while paying his calls, were recognized every where. Crowds gathered in spite of the threatening weather and General Taft" as the Secretary has become 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 Mir. Taft has aroused the iiveliest interest and curiosity. The Rossia, the official organ of the government. however, makes an effort to correct these wrong impressions. A leading article extend- ing 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 bis reception aad the honor of an audience of the Emperor; but 1t is mistake to suppose that Mir. Tafts visit Is in any way connected with 8 change in tho international pol- icy 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 port; but the visit of Secretary Taft will renew and strengthen the old bonds of sympathy between Russia and America"
 The Empress of Russia is indisposed and she probably will not be able to receive Mrs. Taft tomorrow: conse- quently the Secretary will go to Tsark- soc Selo alone. Tomorrow evening the Secretary will attend banquet at For eign Minister Iswolksey's, followed by a big reception by the diplomatic corps and Russian official societies. Secre- tary Taft probably will be forced to go to Cologne to catch the steamer President Grant. on which he returns to the United States. The President Grant leaves Hamburg December and Cologne Decemger 8.
 Mrs Taft, accompanied by Mrs. George Post Wheeler wife of the sec on1 secretary of American Embassy at Tokio. will go from here to Vienna and States several weeks after her hus- band.
 When questioned regarding the Pres idential situation in the Unit ed States, Secretary Taft requested to be excused from expressing any opinion. He said he had announced a year ago his reEd- mess to accept the nomination in case 1t was given him and that hls attitude had not changed since.
 Secretary Taft and the members of his suite visited the douma at a late hour today. Baron Ostensachen met the party at the portlco of he Tauride Palace and conducted them to one of the imperial boxes directly opposite the Speaker. Premier Stolypin, Minister of War Rudiger and other members of the Cabinet were in their usual places.
 The news of the presence of Secre- tary Taft in the chamber spread quick ly. until finally the attention of prac- tically everybody fin the house was centered on the imperial box.
 The Secretary and his party stayed for half an hour and then left.
 nIa NVnrId ho ONfr of a speech delivered by Secretary Taft at the American banquet here tonight which was attended by several high Russian officials in addition to some sixty Americans.
 : Count Konitz. who is acting as Im- periaI aide to Secretary Taft. respond ed with a toast to President Roosevelt, which was drunk amid great en- thuslasm