The Washington times., 1902-08-27
De Witte'S Statistics of
Wealth Shown to Be
Fictitious.
INVESTORS GIVEN WARNING
Exports of Grain Maintained Alb
normally at Cost Of Starvation for
People Consuming Capacity of the
PeasantIy Is Nominal

PeasantIy Is Nominal.
The last note of NJ. de Witte. the Rus
sian minister of finance, to the foreign
press on the sugar question has not
been published in Russia. Among those
Russians who have read it in foreign
newspapers it appears to have caused
unbounied astOnishment NJ de Nitte's
conviction that in this question the
powers will be guided by their inter
ests. and not by what is right" and
his threat. in case any increase of duties
is enforced against Russian sugar. tha;
the Russian government viii consider
itself free to disregard treaty stipula-
tions when it thinks fit along with the
system of guerrilla tariff warfare he
laid down, are considered as out-Witte-
ing even the Russian finance minister.
The Russian critics of NJ. de Witte
point out that as the sugar convention
Will become effective after the expira-
tion of most of the Russian CONNER
cial treaties, the finance ministry will be
wise not to take general measures
against the powers collectively" but to
adopt measures which will be the most
advantageous for Russia in the special
circumstances of each ease"
Made Many Threats.
They also point out that about year
ago NJ. de Witto was Illuminating threats
of what he would do in case Germany
carried out her tariff poIicyr-threats of
which nothing more has been heard.
IF NJ de Witte really intended his
sugar and trust campaign to be taken
riously," said one Russian economist,
Il can only say that his course is open
to only two interpretations-eithe lie
begins to realize the despair of the sit
Uation into which his policy has plunged
the country and is disposed to play des
perately, or he is acting the part of a
spoiled child who cannot bear TO he
crossed or contradicted; perhaps both.
One can scarcely avoid the conclusion
that he is suffering from mania
grandiosa.'
Beginning with the finance minister's
denial of the existence of a crisis or
of hard times in Russia. and especially
his argument in his last budget report
that. because the gross income of the
empire has increased 10 the amount OF
$685.. 100000, or I3 per cent. in ten years.
the peoples income had advanced il
corresponding proportion. critics show
that the increase in receipts from tax
alton was in reality only % per cent,
while the population has grown by IS
per cent. and that this increase in tax
receipts has been attained by dis
proportionate raising of the tax rate,
and not through natural growth of con-
sumption.
Tea. coffee, sugar. alcohol. kerosene
and matches" it is pointed out. ARE
taxed now from 80 to 100 per cent OF
their market price
Increase in Cotton Goods.
The finaEce minister also said that
from 1892 TO 1900 the production o. cot
ton goods in Russia increased in volume
by 80 per cent, while the per capita
consumption increased by IS Ter cent.
The difference of 80 per cent is toe large.
according to MIR Rohrbach and Ills Rus
sian authorities. to be accounted for by
the very modest expectation tc Turkey,
Persia, ard China. On the basis OF off,
cial figures they show that .ti,ssia CON
sumes only about 100000 pounds OF
raw cotton year more than she lid in
1892, ur 9 per cent more per capita, and
il is actually proven that The finance
minister's splendid estimate OF the cot
ton goods production of Russia was Oh
tained by adding together the value OF
the raw material, the yarn spun and the
finished product.
The critics concede a per capita in
crease OF nine-tenths of pound OF sugar
during the period under discussion and
a slight increase OF tea consumption.
but justly observe that This Is :ue to
the shifting OF population TO the cities
and not to increased wealth in the coun-
try at large. The Russian st'll con-
sumes only eleven pounds OF sugar a
year, as against thirty for the French
man and sixtyfour for the American.
N. de Witte also calculated an in
crease OF % per cent in kerosene con-
sumption. The critics proved from the
indirect tax figures that there had ac-
tually been decrease of 40 per cent.
10 which NJ. de Witte has answered that
he had more accurate figures at his dis
posal than those published by the in
direct tax department OF his ministry.
Inc aulnOT ItmdThS lfdI Tue oliy lOS-
ical conclusion from this rebuttal would
be to reject all published Russian sta
tistics and write TO NJ. de Witte di-
rectly for his private information.
Railroads Do Not Pay.
NJ de Whites attempt to prove that
the Russian railroads are already a
fairly paying investment is contradicted
by the figures of the imperial comp
trolIer NJ de Witte also has calcu-
lated the increase in the value OF the
Russian railroads since 1892 at $780,
000. 900 a result attained by adding to-
getber the cost of all subsequent con-
structions and improvements, including
many items private railroad companies
invariably include in operating ex-
penses The critics, on the contrary.
capitalize the present net income. which
they find to be S37 600 at Az per
cent. and give the capitalistic value Of
the state railroads as only $s25, 900, ,0C0.
AS the net income was in 1892 $1,000
600. the new capital. $1,000, coo 900, is
credited by the critics with an income
of only "a per cent. Since Russia has
10 pay over AZ per cent interest. NJ. de
Whites statement that the railroads are