Durango semi-weekly herald., 1901-10-21
czAR's HOME POLICY.
Nicholas Displays Unseifish Motives
and Seeks the Welfare Of His
Subjects.

| Subjects.
ST. PETERSBURG, Sept. IA
civilian E. Curtis in Chicago Rec
ord-Herald) "A young man who is
autocrat of the largest empire on
earth, who holds the lives and hap
piness of 1928, 100000 people in his
hands, who directs the expenditure
of more than s75O000,O00 annually,
who has an army of 100000 sol
| diers under his command, who has
unlimited power to make laws and
enforce his will without restriction
from parliament. press or public.
should have full appreciation of
his responsibility and a high sense
on duty. Those who know him best
| and can Judge impartially believe
| that Nicholas IL. is governed by un-
selfish motives, conscientious solici-
tude for the welfare of his subjects
| and "A profound conviction of what
| is just and right. He is also inspir-
| ed by an ambition to be considered
prudent and wise. and to be number
ed among the good monarchs in his
tory.
When he came into power he at
once sought diligently to inform him
self of the requirements of his posi-
ton and to learn the affairs of state.
His preceptor was the late Prince
Lebanon. "the greatest intellect in
Europe" who unfortunately died a
shirt time after the coronation of the
czar. Nicholas already had a good
foundation to build upon, because Mr.
Heath, his tutor in English until he
was IS years old, recommended for
the position by Mr.. Gladstone. was a
simple, straightforward. manly gen
tleman who realized the importance
of educating properly the future rul-
er of 12S,000,000 people, and was ac-
cordingly fearless, sincere and thor
ough in his instruction. Mr.. Heath
is said to have had great influence In
the formation of the character of
Nicholas, and the later has frequent
ly expressed to Englishmen the obli-
cations he feels for having the guild
ance of so honest and conscientious
a man.
One of the first things he did af-
ter ascending the throne was to di-
rect an investigation into the admin
istration of justice throughout the
empire, and especially in Poland.
which was Immediately followed by
many important reforms. A great
deal has already been done to amel-
iorate the harshness of the court and
prison officials, to improve the condi-
tion of prisoners and to secure the
applicatn of justice. The investi-
cation is still in progress, and will
doubtless result in the reorganiza-
tion of the entire judiciary of the en-
pire, the establishment of new courts
where none have existed, and the pro-
lection of the personal and property
rights of the poor and ignorant. A
commission composed of eminent
jurists and philanthropists has been
for several years engaged in the
work The entire code of laws re-
lating to the criminal and civil pro-
cedure is being revised and brought
down to date, the French system be-
ing generally adopted.
In other matters Nicholas III. real
lied that the grievances of his sub
jects were not without foundation,
and determined to correct them
if possible. That he has done much
is to his credit; that he has not done
more is due to the difficulties and OBJ
stacles by which he is surrounded.
In the first place, 1t is almost impos-
sible for the czar of Russia to learn
the facts about any matter. He ts
entirely dependent upon his mini0-
ters, and must rely upon what thev
tell him. If they are insincere or
desire to deceive, as Is often the
case, or have an interest In prevent
| ing their sovereign from obtaining
| correct information, he Is entirely al
their mercy. While the secrets OF
the Russian government are well
kept, and official affairs are protect
ed from inquiry more completely In
this country than in any other, one
can easily discover that the young
czar has met with determined oppo
sition both from within and with
out the court. The traditions of the
empire, the tendencies of the auto
cratic bureau of chiefs. and the con
servatism of the people are all
against him, while the people he de
sires to serve distrust his sincerity
and have not given him much assis
tance. Nevertheless, Russia has
made great progress in civilization
during his brief reign. and the peas
ants already call him "Kola the
blessed-Kola being the diminu
tive of Nikola.
He has changed eight of th'
twelve members of the ministr,
since he came into power, relieving