Zionism Seemed Hopeless in 1902?

A small article from the St. Paul (Minnesota) Globe, November 10, 1902. 

The link to this old newspaper page can be found here.  If that ever disappears, the PDF file can be had here

The 1902 article states that a Rabbi Rypins of the Mount Zion Temple, Minnesota synagogue was shown a cablegram stating that France and Russia have blocked the sale of Palestine by the Sultan of Turkey.  Czar Nicholas II was ruler of Russia from 1894 until his abdication in 1917.  He and his family were murdered in 1918.  The Balfour Declaration was hatched in 1917.

For further commentary see: 
http://mybigfatanti-zionistlife.blogspot.com /2009/12/is-this- reason-czar-nicholas-ii-and-his.html