Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-05-09
CnuuH TnIafni.

No living man who has figured In public
life in Russia was. says the Baltimore Ameri-
can, more thoroughly detested than Count
Demetrius TOstoi, who with his former col
league. Count Schouvao0, the former chief
OF the third section OF secret police, was
called on hv the Gar. after harakOzOh's At
tack in 1896, 10 save the throne from the
murderous designs Of the Nihlhsts. Both
these statesmen, equally astute. equally un-
scrupuOus, and equally ambitious, were
perfectly convinced Of the fact that, in order
to stop the rising tide OF the public spirit,
yearning for liberty, autOcracy had hut one
expedimcnt it could use, and that was TO stop
the dissemination OF knowledge among the
people, 10 make instruction luxury sttaiD-
able ouly by the richest and highest classes,
aud to crush every attempt at humaniZng
aud instruCting the masses. Protesting this
relr0eTsde creed worthy Of the Middle Ages,
TosiOi was, nevertheless well aware OF the
fact that II could neither be openly avoWed
nor put into effect in SO crude a shape. lie
knew that in an age OF shams Of every spe'
cies, hypocrisy was the first element OF sue
cess The method which he adopted when
appointed Minister OF Public Instruction
was q shrewd one. lie declared himself
an ardent follower Of the LDglish Cd
ucatiOnal system With one stroke Of The
pen all the middle schools OF the empire
were reformed on classical basis. Greek
and Latin were taught almost exclusively.
A full course OF classical studies was made
the sine qua non OF sdmrltance 20 any high
school. As there were no classical teachers
TO speak OF IN any college, the result u this
sudden change OF system may well be IN
agined. II WAS precisely what IolstOi had
expected IT TO be. The pupils were over
burdened with studies which, conducted rs
they were bv incompetent teachers, moi only
remained utterly frutless. but produced the
opposite result Of confusing the young minds
and rendering them utterly Incapable 81 in-
tellectual work. AZ the same time iustruc-
tons were given 10 conduct TIE examina-
tons with relentless vicOr. Every school
became q veTitablc torture chamber, in which
Young Russia was daily aud hourly placed
on the rack. while thus cripnling the
minds Of the young generation belonging 10
the intellectual classes Of the nation, TOlstOi
did all he could to stop the primary ustruc-
ton Of the people. Under pretence Of
guarding the schools opened by the zomstyos
(iocal elective institulion.l and some private
associations from revolutionary and alheistlc
influences, TO.st0l subjected them TO proc
cross OF secret and open inspection best cal-
culated TO disgust aud discourage every
honest man devoted 10 biz work.
This peculiar system Count TOlstOi was
able TO keep up for nearly four years. Asan
aid 70 his scheme he endesyored 10 establish
stupeudous and all-peryasiNe system Of
espionage. lie privately directed teachers
and professors throughout the country 10
wstch their scholars, and these were en-.
couraged to Nsich their fethers, mothers,
and friends. But this attempt aroused such
indignation throughout the empire that the
Gar deemed 1t prudent Il last to relieve the
Count from his duties, and in Nav, 1850, be
was finally relieved from duty rs Muster OF
Public INSTRUCTION aud 0her-P TocuratOr Of
the Holy synod. which Office he also held.
and sent to reside in disgrace on his estates.
Reports OF his impending resignation or re-
moVal had been current for a couple Of
years before this time. but he succeeded ia
tiding over the crisis in ms affairs. A wear
or so before bis removal from office the ReyO.
lutionary Executive Committee Of 81. Peters.
burg addressed letter TO him, saving that he
need not fear any attack being made by revo.
iutionary emisssries upon his person, che
being the best and tTuest ally Of the Russian
revolution"
Tols,oi was appointed TO succeed General
lgnalIef, when the latter st his own request
retired IRON the post Of Minister OF the In-
terror.