New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-10-11
RUsSIA'S ONLY ALLY.
&c NOT GERMANY, NOR YET FRANCE.
But FATHER TINE.

.,o immersion which has pre- yailed for some
.,,,e mast that the centre of political gravity is
20, located at ST. Petersburg. it may be
,aersd TO have been furnished by the altogether
.,,naralleled reception accorded TO the Car dur
- his stay at Paris last week. Austria, Ger
,s,v and England have each in turn. meta
nh,rcally speaking. groveled before him in the
sons Of securing his alliance and support Every
.,reiyable artifice thai could be devised TO at
..,n that object has been brought into play since
- started on his tour of the foreign capitals
.o, weeks ago. The acme of courtly splendor
..s the means by which they expected TO win
rim at Vienna, and the ne plus ultra of military
,naenificence was organized for the same pur-
AGO at Bresau while domestic simplicity and
,.uiy ties have been the chords harped upon at
conenhagen and Bamoral The climax. how
.rer has been reached at Paris. In the shape of
an essentially popular welcome. well-nigh de-
urous in its enthusiasm. and surprising any
ovation that has ever been accorded by CRATE
o., neople TO its monarch returning covered with
military glory from some victorious campaign
.s., has added wealth !ustre and territory to
the nation. O.d En- eror William, "hen he
Uttered Berlin at the head of his troops on the
close Of the Franco-German War. never received
srvthing like the plaudits that have greeted
.hs car on the banks Of the Seine: nor can the
.sr,at,on 70 whico the First Napoleon at the mo-
u,sr, Of his greate-t power was treated by the
.no,arohs of Continental Europe bear any COM
carlson with that accorded to the Muscovite
.u,ocrat by the courts Of Vienna. 81 James
and especially by Emperor William.
ys, Nicholas is neither victorious general
successful statosman--but only very
,ouns man, frail in health. puny in appearance
r,osa reign of two years has just about lasted
,ory enough 10 show the world that ne pos
.sx,es 10 very mark ID degree that rarest OF
al qualities namely. the power &c keep MS
,oouth closed and TO avoid any expression OF MS
continents ev.n ir the face OF the strongest
.e,n,ation 10 do otherwise. At the present mo-
mont he is the Sphinx Of the polltical world.
N one can boast e any knowledge of his lean
,,us and while the Germans have endeavored
% ;nternre. his enigmatic utterances at Breslau
,n,o an adhesion 10 the Triple Alliance. the
rrsrch are eouany positive that if he is going
% rarch with any foreign Power II Is with
themselves But no one knows anything GER
,ainIv The week has passed at Paris without
anv definite declaration or announcement OF d
nolitjcal character on the part Of HIS MnscoVlte
Majesty. and in view of the uncertainty "hich
nrevails concerning the future course OF RUSSIA
a few brief indications bearing upon the SUD-
,.c, may nrove of int rest just AT this Jurcture
NOT AN ABSOLUTE AuToCRAT-
In the srst place il is well to bear in mind that
the Car. in spite Of his title OF Autocial - Ho'
the absolute master of the foreign poiicy Of rus
sia The drift of the latter is influenced 10 1d1
-. aogres ny The will of the people than
nv the will OF the Emperor. NO stronger mus
,ro,;or thereof need be cited than the fact
that the war against Turkey IN lS'o- -
ras undertaken in drec; opposition 10 the
Wishes Of Alexander II. while his son. the late
Alexander III, at thai time only CzareVltch'
WAS even more pronounced in his objections 10
the campaign which he denounced rs ill-tlmed.
useless and calculated 10 REBOUND lar more 10
Russia's discredt than 10 her glory. AS Prince
I,obanon at the time the Chancellor Of the En-
pire. declared fou teen months ago IN the course
~ memorable interview: when the Car ex-
presses his will il has already become the VIII
of the nation" Of which he is in fact only the
nouthpiece and the executive Sometimes popu-
lar will and imperial VIII are at variance on
the question as to what particular course OF
policy is most advantageous to the nation, and
then as in 1s16-'77 It is the imperial will that
has TO give way. even when, in this par
ticuIar instance, Il In the right, as suhse-
ouent events have owed. For the ingrattude
Of the Rumanians, OF the Seryians. and. above
all Of the Bulgarisns all Of whom obtained
their freedom from Turkish rule through the
expenditure OF an incalculable amount OF Mus
covite blood and treasure, has disguised the
Russians to such a degree as to account Tor
their indifference TO the stories Of Armenian
massacres. They are no longer in frame OF
mind TO be moved by tales OF the woes OF their
brethren In faith. the mention of the formerly
inspiring word Of "Bratooshka' (Drotherhood)
leaves them cold. and Panslavsn, now dead as
door nail save in a literary sense. has ceased
70 be factor in the political situation Of Russia
TWO GUIDING PRINCIPLES.
Now there are two guiding principles in the
foreign policy OF Russia, both based upon the
will of the people. The one is the national de-
termination eventually 70 secure the possession
Of Constantinople the other is 10 develop the re-
sources OF Asia and TO control the empire of the
latter. With regard to the former its origin is
to be best sought in the olden times. when the
Russians were subject TO the yoke OF Turkish
opnression when Muscovite towns and villages
we're periodically given over TO fame and sword
by Moslern rnarauders and when Russian girls
were sold as slaves in the markets OF CONSTANT
NOBLE Moreover there has from time immemorial
existed a tradition among the Russians that they
should one day rule the world from the shores OF
the Bogporus II is a tradition OF which one
finds mention made at Constantinople even IN the
days OF the Byzantine Emperors long before the
Basilica Of ST. Sophia was converted into Ma
hometan mosques tradition that throughout
the length and breadth of Russia has been hand
ed down from father TO son among the aristoc-
racy and peasantry alike. SO that the nation, as
whole is imbued with the conviction that not
until the Muscovite colors are planted on the
walls OF Constantinople and the Cross restored 10
the cupola OF ST. Sophia will Russia attain the
climax OF her greatness and Of her prosperity
Ever since the days Of Peter the Great and even
before thai time Russia has been working in