Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-11-28
RUssIA's ONLY ALLY.
IL IL Not Germany, Nor Yet France,
Hut Father Time.
(New York Tribune.)

tNeW 10TH ltiDuIN.l
If any additional confirmation were
needed for the impression which has pre-
vailed for some time past that the centre
OF political gravity is now located at st.
Petersburg, IT may bo considered TO have
been furnished by the altogether unparal-
leled reception accorded TO the Car
during his stay at Paris last week. Aus
tria, Germany, and England have each
in turn. metaphorically speaking, grovel-
led before him In the hope OF securing his
alliance and support. Every conceivable
artifce that could be devised 10 attain
that object has been brought into play
since he started on his tour Of the foreign
capitals a few weeks ago. The acme OF
courtly splendor was the means by which
they expected 20 win him at Vienna, and
the ne plus ultra, OF military magniicence
was organized for the same purpose at
Breslau. while domestic simplicity and
family ties have been the chords harped
upon at Copenhagen and BalmoraL The
climax, however, has been reached at
Paris, In the shape of an essentially popu-
lar welcome, well-nigh dellrious in It's en-
thusiasm. and surprising any ovation
that has ever been accorded by grateful
people TO its monarch returning covered
with military glory from some victorious
campaign that has added wealth, lustre.
and territory TO the nation. Old Emperor
William. when he entered Berlin at the
head Of his troops on the close Of the
Franco German war. never received any
thing like the plaudits that have greeted
the Car on the banks Of the Seine; nor
can the adulation to which the First Ma
poleon at the moment Of his greatest
power was treated by the monarchs OF
Continental Europe bear any comparison
with that accorded TO the Muscovite auto
crat by the courts OF Vienna, ST. James,
and especially by Emperor William.
Yet Nicholas is neither a victorious
general nor a successful statesman-but
only a very young man, frail in health.
puny in appearance, whose reign OF two
years has Just about lasted long enough
10 show the world that he possesses 70 q
very marked degree that rarest OF all
qualties-namely, the power TO keep his
mouth closed and to avoid any express
sion of his sentiments, even in the face
Of the strongest temptation 10 do other
wise. At the present moment he IS the
Sphinx Of the political world No one
can boast Of any knowledge of his lean
ings, and while the Germans have en-
deavored 10 interpret his enigmatic u;-
terances at Breslau into an adhesion 10
the Triple Alliance, the French are
equally positive that If he is going 10
march with any Power il Is with them
selves. But no one knows anything GER
tainly. The week has passed at Paris
without any definite declaration or an
nouncement OF a political character on
the part OF his Muscovite Majesty. and
IN view Of the uncertainty which prevails
concerning the future course of Russia.
a few brief indications bearing upon the
subject may prove Of interest just at this
Juncture.
NOT AN ABSOLUTE AUTOCRAT
In the first place, il Is well TO bear IN
mind that the Car, in spite Of his title
OF autocrat. IS not the absolute master of
the foreign policy Of Russia. The drift
Of the latter - influenced 10 a far greater
degree by the will Of the people than by
the viii Of the Emperor No stronger
Illustration thereof need be cited than the
fact that the war against Turkey in
1S78-'7 was undertaken in direct opposi-
ton to the wishes OF Alexander H., while
his son. the late Alexander III, at that
time only Czarevitch. was even more pro-
nounced In hts objections TO the cam
paigu, which he denounced as ill-timed.
useless, and calculated 10 rebound far
more 10 Russla's discrefit than TO her
glory. As Prince Lebanon, at the time
the Chancellor of the Empire, declared
fourteen months ago IN the course of
memorable Interview: when the Car
expresses his win 1t has already become
the Will Of the nation" of which he IS,
IN fact. only the mouthpiece and the
executive. Sometimes popular VIII and
imperial will are az variance on the ques-
a. - t.t los -
policy Is most advantageous to the nation,
and then. as in lS76-'77, IL Is the
imperial will that has 20 give way, even
when, as in this particular instance IL
was In the right, as subsequent events
nave proved. For the ingratitude Of the
Roumanians, OF the Servians, and. above
all, OF the Bulgarians, ali Of whom OBJ
tained their freedom from Turkish rule
through the expenditure Of an incalcu-
liable amount OF Aluscovite blood and
treasure. has Disguised the Russians TO
such a degree as to account for their in
difference to the stories Of Armenian
massacres. They are no longer in a
frame of mind 10 be moved by tales OF
the woes of their brethren in faith, the
mention of the formerly inspiring word
Of "Bratooshka" (brotherhood leaves
them cold. and Panslavism, now dead as
a door nail, save in a literary sense, has
ceased to be a factor in the political stu
alton 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 determination even
tually TO secure the possession OF Con-
stantinople, the other Is 10 develop the
resources OF Asia and to control the
empire of the latter With regard TO
the former, it's origin IS to be best sought
in the olden times, when the Russians
were subject to the yoke of Turkish OPP
preston, when Muscovite towns and viii
lagos were periodically given over TO
flame and sword by Mosl.n marauders,
and when Russian girls were sold as
slaves IN the markets OF Constantinopie.
Moreover, there has from time imme-
mortal existed a tradition among the
Russians that they should one day rule
the world from the shores OF the Bos-
porus. IL is a tradition of which one
finds mention made at Corfstantinople
even In the days OF the byzantine En-
perors, long before the Basilica OF St.
Sophia was converted into a Mahometan
mosque-a tradition that throughout the
length and breadth OF Russia has been
handed down from father to son among
the aristocracy and peasantry alike. so
that the nation, as whole. As imbued
with the conviction that not until the
Muscovite colors are planted on the
walls OF Constantinopie and iae cross
restored TO the cupQla of ST. Sophia
viii Russia attain the climax OF her
greatness and of her prosperity. Ever
since the days OF Peter the Great. and
even before that time. Russia has been
working In this particular direction. the
government striving to satisfy the popu-
lar VIII. and the fact that II should have