Hohenzollerns, the present Kaiser has steadily offended Russia. War
with her within two years was inevitable, irrespective of any causes in
relation to Servia. Russia knew this and was diligently preparing for
it. Germany--the war party of Germany--knew it and with supreme
audacity determined through Austria first to smash Servia and put the
Balkan States and Turkey in alignment with herself for this coming war
with Russia.

Sergius Witte is one of the great statesmen of Russia. He formulated
the programme for the Siberian railroad and Russian Asiatic
development. The party of nobles opposed to him arranged that he
should receive the humiliation of an ignoble peace with Japan, under
which it was expected that Russia would have to pay a huge indemnity.

But when Witte arrived at the naval station at Portsmouth, New
Hampshire, to make the famous treaty with Japan, his first declaration
was, "Not one kopeck for indemnity." He won out and returned in
triumph to Russia.

But during the progress of the Japanese war Germany thrust her
commercial treaties upon St. Petersburg. Goods from Russia into
Germany were taxed while German goods went under favorable terms into
Russia, with the result that Russia has had a struggle now for ten
years to keep her gold basis and her financial exchanges.

It was Witte who was sent to Berlin to protest against these proposed
treaties and secure more favorable terms. Witte made his protest and
refused to accept the German demands. Then suddenly he received
peremptory orders from the Czar to grant all the demands of Germany.
The Czar declared Russia was in no condition to have trouble with