Washington sentinel., 1899-09-02
sur EIoN NEW S.
Translated and Selected Ty0N ksadiak
hNy0bsSH babsTsfOr the SENTINEL.
ENGLAND.

REPORTED ABDICATIoN OF THE CAR.
Dafly TslsPyab6-London, Aug. 7.
Absolutely no credence is attached in
any OF the continental capitals TO the
sensational story that the Tsar Nicholas
is contemplating following the example
OF the Emperor Charles V. and abdicat.
ing his throne, nor is It in such an
explanation as this that we must look to
find the reason Of the sudden visit Of M.
Delcasse to Count Muraviehr. Various
motives are assigned for the journey OF
the French Foreign Minister, It is said
he desires to become more familiar with
the statesmen of St. Petersburg, and il
is also suggested that ne is anxious TO
persuade the Tsar to revisit Paris. The
rumor that Nicholas IT. was weary Of
his heavy burden is not new, and is
probably due entirely to the magnitude
Of the cares and responsibilities OF the
high Office which he has filled with so
much credit For though the imagIua-
ton may be impressed by the glorIes
~ANNe--'AAA't3 ~ NAI~ EiSnlAAOlA vi dl HEAOA
Of All the Russias, monarch as he is OF
millions Of subjects in Europe and ASIA.
and holding as he does the tremendous
issues Of peace and war in his hand,
there are but very few who, If the choice
were given them, would not refuse so
glitterlng throne. The Russian Tsar
is the loneliest man in all his wide
dominiOns; he lives isolated and apart;
though the sole ruler OF a mighty army,
he does not possess the security OF the
meanest peasant. Absolute in name, he
is yet hedged round by an impenetrable
barrier OF ofiicialdOm, which can thwart
his will and null ify his decIees; the
Little Father Of hls People, he is yet
almost imDOtent to ameliorate the
conditions under which they live.
Nothing is more certain than that the
absolute power in Russia which in theory
centres in the Tsar is in practice welded
by a bureaucracy Of military and civil
officers, against whose stubborn resist
ance the personal will Of the Emperor
may beat in vain Only a monarch
whose resolve was cast in the steruest
mould could face and triumph over so
dogged anC determined an opposition,
and even he might shrink from entering
upon a struggle OF which no one would
be so rash as to forecast the result. The
Tsar Nicholas, n the other hand, is
known to be OF gentle disposition. His
devotion to the sacred causeaof Peace
he proved to the world by inspiring the
conference which has recently finished
its labors at The Hague 1t achieved
much, but 1t may be that its august
author IS disappointed that it did not
accomplish more, And If he had staked
all his hopes on a reduction ofthe burden
Of militarism which is crushing down
the nations Of the continent, and Russia
most OF all, il would not have been
altogether surprising il he had taken the
failure to heart and determined to step
down and let another I'LL his place But
sovereigns cannot and do not allow
themselves 70 be thus guided by personal
motives alone, and not even the un'
toward circumstances Of the succession
are likely 10 influence his Imperia
Majesty to forsake the difficult position
which he fills with so much console ntiOu
consideration for his subjects and tn
peace of Europe.