Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-01-11

sounded as to their readiness to accept
il refused the offer in most categori-
cal manner. The story which have
lust related died at last natural death.
Rgewsky disappeared, no one knew
where. but the difficulties out of which
the story had arisen were still there.
They could hardly be set aside by any
minister. unless some radical measures
we're adopted, such as the exile of Ras-
putin, a thing which no one dared to
propose. and which no one would have
dared to enforce even if some one else
had proposed 1t.
After the resignation. or rather the
dismissal, of Mr.. Chwostoh, his post
was finally offered, by the advice or
Rasputin and at the suggestion of Ma
nussewitsch-Man to its occupant
at the time T write, MIR. Protopopoff, a
rich landowner of the government OF
Simbirsk, who for some time had occu-
pied the position of vice president OF
the duma of the empire.
lust before his appointment to what
is the most important and responsible
function in the whole Russian empire,
there was much talk of an interview
which he had had at Stockholm. with
Mr. warberg, a representative OF ;he
German government during which the
conditions by which a separate peace
might come to he concluded between
Russia and the central powers had been
discussed. Later on, when this meet
ing, which had been arranged through
the good Offices of a Mr.. Maliniak, be-
came the subject of general knowledge
in stockholm, and details concerning it
had found their way in the Russian
press. Mr.. ProtopopofT was violently at
tackled by the liberal parties in the du-
!, oh, n and
refused even to listen to the clumsy ex-
plantations which he attempted to give
of the affair
It was then generally believed that the
political career of this gentleman was
at an end, and it was assumed that he
would have to resign his vice presidency
in Ito house. Certainly. no one ever
thought that he would suddenly develops
into a minister. And yet, this is the
very thing which happened, thanks ~
the Rasputin crew, which persuaded Mr.
Sturmer TO present Mr.. Protopopoff tc
the emperor as the best candidate for
the place vacated by Mr.. Chwostoff. "
the meanwhile, Manussewitsch-M aniu
loft, who had been the moving spirit in
this whole intrigue, had been appointed
private secretary to Mr.. Sturmer, and
at his institgation there began dissipa'
ton of public funds such as Russia had
TneVer seen before, and such as, let us
hope. she will never see again.
There are many more things that l
could possibly relate in regard to the
incidents of which 1 have given the out
line mere, but these could hardly be
published at present. The only thing
which I can do is to try to make my
readers understand the general position
as il presented itself before the liz ar
der Of Rasputin by quoting some speech
es which were delivered in the duma
Is far back as the year 1912. . CThey
were reproduced in the Russian liberal
organ, the Retsch, on the day following
the assassinat ton of the prophet" The
Russian censor offered no opposition to
this republication.
The first of these speeches was made
by Mr.. Goutschkoff, one of the most en-
lightcued men in the whole of the Rus
sian empire, whose liberal opinions and
sound political views had won for him
the respect Of all parties, even those who
were opposed to them. The occasion
upon which il was pronounced was that
of the discussion of the budget of the
holy synod, a discussion during which
for the first time the personality of Ras-
putin. together with his activity, was
publicly denounced as one of the great
est sources of danger that had ever
threatened the country as well as the
dynasty.
(Continued in Next Issuel