The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-09-12

Not content with this, the Council
of National Defence then proceeded
TO ecure the dismissal Of other mem
bers of the Cabinet who were identi-
fled with the Conservative party, and
who were as r~eactionaries.
such as. for instance, the very infiu-
entail Minister of the Interior. Max
lakow: the Procurator-General Of the
Holy Synod. w. X. Sabler. and the
Minister of Justice. Tcheglovitoff. re-
placing them with Liberals. Indeed,
one OF the most significant appoint
ments has been that of Prince Greg
DRY Volkonski. former Vice-Presldent
Of the Duma, and renowned for his
championship OF popular forms of
government and OF liberal reforms,
TO the Department of h Interior.
The aged Premier Goremykine, now
in his seventy-seventh year. Is also
slated to go, and received the other
day from the Emperor the extremely
rare distinction of knighthood OF the
Order OF St. Andrew by way OF a
preparatory gliding Of the pill of dis
missal.
Now the Council OF National De-
fence has brought about the downfall
of Grand Duke Nicholas Nicholaie-
witch. That the Ia should have
consented to his removal. and should
! have sanctioned his transfer to the
Vice-royalty OF the Caucasus, at
Tifis, means that the Emperor has
thrown In his lot for the first time
wholly and entirely with the Duma.
For until now. and at any rate for
the last ten years or more. Grand
Duke Nicholas has been regarded, not
only by his sovereign but by almost
everybody at homo and abroad, as
the principal prop Of the throne and
chief safeguard of the dynasty.
He was entrusted with the supreme
military command not only Of the vari-
Gus divisions OF the Guards, which
are the elite of the Muscovite army.
| but also with that OF the metropolitan
district of Petrograd. Since all revo-
~lutionary and anti-Government offences
in Russia are subject not to the or
binary criminal tribunals but to mar
tial law-that martial law which alone
has the right to infiict capital punish
ment-this had the effect Of practically
endowing the Grand Duke with power
of life and death over every n In and
around Petrograd. He wal to all in
tents and purposes the Vice-Emperor.
Many did not hesitate to assert that
the Gar ruled only by the grace OF
his gigantic cousin. the tallest man
without exception In the entire Rus
sian army and who by reason of his
stature Is known among the troops
by the nickname of "Bolshoi Nichola."
Since the beginning Of the war. with
it's consequent extension of martial
law throughout the empire. the au-
thority Of the Grand Duke spread In
a corresponding degree from the met
ropolitan district of Petrograd to the
furthest limits OF Muscovy, and 1t was
this that rendered possible the sudden
stoppage not merely OF the sale but
also Of the drinking of spirits In any
form. converting owe night and In the
most marvellous fashion the hardest
drinking people on the face of the
| globe into the most temperate Of all
nations. It is doubtful whether this
could have been accomplished by leg
islative
To these powers and to the some-
what ruthless n In which he
availed himself thereof, always for
the public good. and with rar single
mindedness and honesty Of purpose,
must be ascribed the rumors dill