New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-02-03

settle the question for all time. Possibly IL wouo'
hut Il seems pity Mr.. Stead did not ask bne
General which way the course he advocates wouiu
settle the question. But Madame Nov1kons COL
league has no apprehensions at all; indeed ne 10
really too confident for the Of his proseV-
tism. Had he been born Russian, hts posioons
would have commanded more attention neins'
unhapply for himself, an Englishman, his country
men find o certain want Of naturainess III mo
Russomania, and instead of being persuadeu ny
his representations, cruelty inquire how nucn nc
was paid 10 make them, with other calulnhious
irrelevances of the kind.
Perhaps II Mr.. Stead had ended his DOCK WIN
the consideration of those questions the solution
of which inspired his journey 10 the Nor1n' ~
would have been stronger as an argument than 1t
s . for in leaving those topics of foreign policy
and beginning an inquiry into the internal affairs
Of Russia, he abandoned his vantage ground, in
oroat measure. and entangled himself in various
diaiculties. Thus he is driven from defence to
ramonstrance and from remonstrance to denuncia-
ton: and, besides this, good many exposures
NJ Russian absolutism are made incidentally, which
arc bv no means calculated to reinforce his argu-
ments based on the enlightened and liberal ten
denotes of the Gar. He tries to defend Russian
nrison administration, but makes sad mess Oh
r. his native humanity triumphing easily over
his wish to let his friends down as easily as pos
sibIe The censorship OF the press inevitably
touches him upon tender spot, and he writes
with feeling upon the rigorous suppression OF
nublic opinion and the incidental destruction OF
the only possible check upon bureaucratic cor
ruption But Mr.. Stead's attempt to vindicatc
Carbon is at bottom impeachment Oh the
system. TIe admits that theoretically the Gar is
the handspring of all Governmental action; that
Oft A
one iufinitesmal portion Of his duties. The con-
sequence is that almost everything actually done
Il done without any responsibility, by officials
whose interests lie in concealing corruption, and
who arc freed from an effective supervision oy
the fiction of Imperial superintendent. In
word. the Gar pretends TO govern, but docs not;
tho situation as il exists is official anarchy.
In approaching the question of religious toler-
ance Mr.. Stead's NOn-confOrmist blood and breed
ing prove stronger than his political prepossesslons
and his anger flames forth he tells OF the perse-
cution which pursues all Russians who attempt to
mass the narrow boundaries assigned by the heads
Of the Eastern Church. The latter, Ike all per-
scouting churches has become the most lntoler-
ant precisely where IL needs internal reform the
most palpably It's priesthood are ignorant, sioth-
ful. selfish and greedy. They do not impart any
religious knowledge TO the masses 'Ihelr ser
vice is almost wholly ceremonial. An elaborate
rituaI consumes the hours OF worship, and the
peasants are left 70 q pagan darkness. ieb IL IL
criminal 10 alive even Bible lessons, and every
attempt TO stimulate spiritual life has been
crushed out pitilessly. All that MIR. Stead can
find 10 say IN paIaton Of this intolerance Is that
IL the Car knew the facts he would surely pun
stop 20 the persecution. He admits however,
that. as things are, the Car cannot be mace ac-
ouainted with tie nets and therefore the prospect
of reform is sufficiently remote.
Our ingenious and ardent traveller spent some
w eks with Count Leo Tolstoi, OF whom ana OF
whose household and ways Of life he gives on IN
teres,ing account, though IL cannot be said TO add
much 10 what was already known Iolstoi ; aiiur-
ing but utterly imprscticable views on religious,
social and political questions appear TO be but
hail Endorsed by Mr. Stead, who, however. seems
20 surm;se that a modus vivendi might be dis
covered through iudicioUs blending Of Tolstoi
and Henry George The Editor Of The Pail Man
Gazette. Is certainly man who possesses the
courage of his convictions. In this volume ne
proposes 10 himself-and 10 all who argue win
him-the reyoutionizing OF two national pohciesi
first that Of Great Britain; second. that OF Rus
STA. With calm confidence IN the value OF MS
advice, he respectfully points out TO the Gar
the measures whereby he may rehaointate ms
Empire and infuse o progressive spirit into his
| people With equal intrepidity he warns MS
countrymcn that they win disregard the voice OF
| Wisdom, as uttered through him, at their proper
peril That his ideas about Russia do not gen.
orally speaking coincide with the views OF those
Russian writer's who have preceded him Is oil
course SO much the worse for them. 1t VIII 81
all events, probably not BIO doubted that he has
been fully authorized by the Russian officials
whom he quotes to give the color he has given to
the National policy and tendencies. He has pro-
duced bright and interesting book thoroughly
readable, and often rendered very amusing by
the authors unconscious revelations OF himself ;
but those who seriously desire TO learn the truth
about Russia viii have 20 look elsewhere for their
/ information.