New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-03-20
TIE CONDITION OF RUSsIA.

Tho new Car has need OF the genius OF the
great Petet with all the practical sharpness
superadded which the worlds growth in civili-
cation slice that day can give him, II he hopes
to uull himself and Russia out OF the slough.
Nihilism is but one OF the difficulties which face
Alexander, though the foremost and the most
likely to defeat him. simply because IL will be
to him, as it was to his father an underlined, con-
slant, paralyzing terror. No man, be he slave
or kaiser can keep a clear head and temperate
will, or can be just to others, however states-
manlike his ability or pure his intentions, who
is forced to move from his bed to his breakfast
with the feai of poison or a bombshell present
with him at every turn.
Besides Nihilism, whose extent and danger
are very accurately known TO the world, Russia
has other difficulties to meet quite as fOrmid-
able. Her financial condition at the present
time is worse, probably, than that OF any other
country in Europe. The deficit in the treasury
for 1879 was ever $40,000,000, and her credit
was such that she found il impossible to procure
| loan. The budget for 1881 estimates the
revenue for the current year at $19,225,O00
less than it was for 1880, and the expenditures
| at about S15,000,000 more. The whole Of this
debt is due to military expenses. Her military
| expenses have been enormous, amounting in
the last five years to over $905,000,000. This
does not include the costly expeditions to Asia.
She has gained no pecuniary advantage by
any war in that time, and the amount coded to
her by China in the treaty signed two weeks
ago would not reimburse her for the military
preparations made to threaten the Government
at Pekin. In order to fill her empty treasury
Russia has increased her import duties in three
wears 80 per cent, and an addition Of 10 per
cent was levied last month, but, according to
statements in our latest files, even this levy
will prove inadequate to meet the war expenses
alone.
throughout Northern Russia and the Steppes,
there has been for two years universal suffering
both from poverty and disease. The mass of
the subjects Of the new Gar arc not only
Eretchedly poor, but have just reached that
dangerous phase of civilization when they begin
to see how poor they are. They have touched
the grade of the French peasant in the days Of
Louis XVI. Before the late Car freed tn
serfs they were as unlikely to revolt as WI,
jacques under the Grand Monarque. A littl'
freedom, US we'll as knowledge, Is dangerous
thing to rulers like the Bourbons OF Romanofs
Besides their uoverty, which short crops for TIVE
summers have rendered extreme, the whole O.
Middle Russia has been swept US by bosom o
DESTRUCTION for two years by diphtheria, typhoit
and other malignant feyers which aowout 0
starvation, ignorance and filth From Svuthetl
Russia the accounts OF famine during the las
month were appalling. The supply of food ha'
given out, the heavy falls Of enow SHUT on a
communication to many villages, and the PEG
pIe were left literally to stafye. The Govern
ment did nothing, possibly from want Q
money, or probably from sheer lack Of compe
tency to graphic intellsently with disaster 8
great and overwhelming. There can be p
relief until after the harvest OF next sumInei
Verify the position OF Alexander III. is 9
supreme difacuItY. recurring skill natriotias