The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-02-01
FRIDAY. FEBRUARY /, 1901.
uIGn FINANCE IN RUSSIA.

Ii has been our good fortune more than
America which are shown not only
theoretically in the BOOKS OF statistics.
but actually in the results achieved in
the struggle for the commerce of the
world. We have recently discussed Ger
many's interests in the foreign commerce,
and the report just issued by NJ. de Wittc,
the Minister of Finance for Russia, has
attracted attention to the finances of that
great empire.
The author of the report, NJ. de Witte.
is one of the few very great personaSes
in European politics of to-day. The fact
that he has, without the benefit of strong
family connections, raised himself to the
head of one of the greatest departments
in Russia is a sufficient proof of his eN-
traordnary abilities, and this the more
so when we consider that Russia is above
all else 4 government by ring. 1t is
called automatically a bureaucracy, but
in actual fact it means nothing more than
that the close friends and relations of the
great families are the only ones who
stand any real chance of taking part in
the government of the empire.
NJ de witte has not only shown a great
gift for finance, but he has had the
acumen to ally himself with the spirit
that is now uppermost in Russian foreign
politics. and while he has conciliated the
powers that be by his sympathy in their
designs, he has earned Their undyinS
gratitude by his skill in supplying the
means for furtheling the grand designs
OF imperial Russia
We often overlook The fact that nation
does not materially differ from a cor
poration in that both may have schemes
that would pay big dividends if they
We're only able to raise the capital to put
these schemes through. The WestinG-
house air brake or the Bell telephone are
nothing but ideas Of intrinsic value that
have been successfully put into operation
by the expenditure OF great amounts Of
capital. So also is the Saez Canal or the
Canadian Pacific Railroad. and these are
enterprises which are carried on by pri
vaIe corporations.
The enterprise which looms on the hori-
ION of Russia to-day and by its vastness
has captured the imagination Of even
great part Of those who were opposed tc
The Russian Government, is the scheme
by which Russia is TO be made the great
~
would be a century ago. To do this it is
obvious that the present Russians must
be given food and clothes and means Of
transportation, that manufactures must
be established, natural resources devel-
opcd. and foreign commerce fostered.
Here IN America axe have thousands of
miles of coast line with 40 tce-bouna
ports. except perhaps a few sporadic
cases in the Great Lakes and ia Maine.
and a people who are not only able. but
willing 10 Invent and develop the newest
methods of machinery for agriculture,
mining and manufacturing. We have
reputation that is homogeneous, speaking
The same language filled with the same
ideals, and enlightened beyond any other
nation of similar size that the world has
ever seen.
Ali this is simply to state the individual
examples which proves the broad PROPOSE
ton that in America the retarding force
of ignorance and difficulty in overcoming
material obstacles is reduced to 4 mini
mam. In Russia the contrary is the fact,
Education is rare seaports. with the eS-
.ception of the Black Sea, she has non
that are open all the year around, an
the hide-acund conservatism of The rural
population has been fearful drawback
10 the development OF The agricultural
resources of The empire. Ill conceived de-
signs IN the construction of the Siberian
Railway haze reduced the efficiency of
,ol, mi