Chapter II: Preface

When, in 1907, I began my travels in Russia, I was honored with a personal letter of introduction from Theodore Roosevelt, and I take this opportunity to express my gratitude for his invaluable assistance. It was this letter which enabled me to make the acquaintance of former United States Ambassador to Russia, Hon. John Riddle, through whom I met some of Russia’s Ministers and other men of prominence in public life, including His Excellency A. S. Yermoloff.

In 1912 it was the Hon. J. A. Tawney, of Minnesota, who prevailed on ex-President William Taft to speak a good word for me to Mr. Guild, our Ambassador to St. Petersburg, who was at the time on a visit to the United States. In 1913, I was again put under great obligations to Mr. Tawney for securing for me a personal letter from His Royal Highness the Duke of Connaught, Governor General of Canada, to Lord Buchanan, the British Ambassador in St. Petersburg, to whom I owe a debt of thanks for the many kindnesses extended me.

The most courteous Morris Sheppard, United States Senator from Texas, interested President Wilson in behalf of my last Central Asiatic expedition, so that when I came to St. Petersburg the beginning of last year, I was most warmly received by our _chargé d’affaires_, Mr. Wilson.

My associate, Mr. Joseph Simonson, of Middlewater, Texas, a warm friend of Dr. Osborne, our well-known Assistant Secretary of State, prompted the latter to introduce me to the Russian Ambassador, Mr. Bakhmeteff, who wrote a letter in my behalf to the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Sazonoff, for which I am more than thankful. To Russia’s great railway Minister, Mr. Ruchloff, who saw fit to give me an annual pass over every railway in the empire during 1912, 1913 and 1914, I owe no small debt of gratitude. Never in my life will I forget the exceptional courtesy shown me by Russia’s Secretary of War, General Suchomlinoff, who received me in his home, and honored me with a personal letter to the Military Governor General of West Turkestan, Mr. Samsonoff, to whom I also owe my appreciation. I am obligated for numerous favors received from the Russian Embassy at New Bokhara, Khanate of Bokhara, West Turkestan, Central Asia, who had received special instructions about my visit to the northern border of Afghanistan from Mr. Klem, Director of the Asiatic Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Dr. Connor, until very recently United States Consul to St. Petersburg, furnished me with most of the data in reference to certain points dealing with our treaty with Russia.

For some of the facts contained in this book, I have made reference to the Russian historians Kostomaroff, Karamzim and Ivanoff.

Mr. B. P. Egert, of St. Petersburg, author of the book “The Conflict Between the United States and Russia,” placed me under great obligations by his kindness. I have found the books of D. M. Lagofet, a member of the Russian Imperial Geographical Society, of great help, as also those of the English writer, Maurice Baring.

DR. C. C. YOUNG.

REFERENCES

The articles to which I would like to refer the reader are as follows:

“Some Foreigners from Oversea,” _Harper’s Magazine_, February, 1908.

“Why Russia is Misunderstood,” _Taylor & Trotwood Magazine_, November, 1908.

“Russia Waking up Under Third Douma,” New York _Times_, August 16, 1908.

“Is Russia Ripe for a Constitutional Form of Government?” Dallas (Texas) _Morning News_, Sunday Magazine Edition, September 26, October 3, October 10 and October 17, 1909.

“A Glimpse into the Heart of New Russia,” Chicago Sunday _Tribune_, September 25, 1910.

“West Turkestan and Bokhara,” New York _Times_, Sunday, January 18, 1914.

Chicago Sunday _Tribune_, August 21, 1910.

Columbus (Ohio) Evening _Despatch_, February 3, 1911.

St. Louis Post _Despatch_, September 10, 1911.

New York _Herald_, September 10, 1911.

_Literary Digest_, September 30, 1911.

New York _Herald_, April 20, 1913.

_The Journal of Heredity_ (Washington, D. C.), October, 1914.

_The Field_, Illustrated, November, 1914, etc., etc.

ABUSED RUSSIA