New-York tribune., 1903-07-19

out the empire are always to be found working
against the revenue officials while 1t is hardly
necessary to point out that outrages such as
that of Kishinef the responsibility of which lies
at the door of Senator de Plehve statesman
almost reactionary the Procurator of the
Holy Synod Pobiedsnootseff, are not precisely
calculated to facilitate the operations of Count
Witte either at home or abroad.
AS Chancellor of the Empire, the count will
be on a very different footing. however. His
position, in fact will be something akin to that
of vice-emperor. Subject to the supreme con-
troll of the Car, he will enjoy the direction OF
the foreign as well as of the domestic policy
of Russia, all the ministers being subservient
TO his orders, taking their instructions from
him and reporting to him instead of to the
Gear. Save in exceptional cases, or when spe-
cially summoned by the Emperor. they will
deal with the latter through the Chancellor;
and this in itself will put a stop to most OF the
intrigues OF minister against another that
have been the bane of the government and
given rise to confusion both at home and
abroad concerning it's policy. The latter Will
have, with NJ de witte at the helm Chan
cellor. unity of purpose and therefore a
weight which IL has not enjoyed since the
death of Prince Gortschakon. and 1t will be
directed with a view to secure the good will,
tions and to maintain at all costs that peace
which is so imperatively Indispensable for the
economic development Of the empire.
The nomination of Count Witte as Chancellor
will likewise lift a heavy burden from the shoul-
ders of the Car 1t has been a burden, in
deed too onerous for his strength. For, being
a conscientious man, anxious that no injustice
or wrong should be perpetrated in his name
and taught by sad experience to place only
limited confidence in his ministers. he has IN
sisted on seeing to everything, and has made
a fruitless endeavor to keep track of even the
details of each branch of the administration
OF course, this beyond his power and
there is no doubt that Of his ministers in
the past have taken advantage of the fact to
divert his attention to matters of minor i'm
portance thereby leaving to them freer hand
in affairs of a graver character. Thus it
is extremely doubtful whether he was ever in
formed by Count Lamsdorff-his Foreign Min
isrer-of the inquiry made by the United States
Government at the time of the Kishineff mas
sacre as to whether the imperial authorities
would object to the distribution among the
victims of the money raised by public SUBJ
scription in this country for their relief Of
the curt rejection of the offer in his-that is,
the Czar's-name.
For at the very time when the State Depart
ment at Washington was receiving the intima-
tion that the proffered American relief was dis
tasteful to Nicholas, his brother-in-law, most
Intimate friend and crony, the reigning Grand
Duke of Hesse. publicly sending a large
subscription to the fund raised for the Kishineff
sufferers at Berlin together with letter to the
committee in charge of the affair. expressing
sympathy with its efforts. Those who are
aware of the close relations between the CZar
and the Grand Duke well aware that the
latter would never have contributed to any such
fund without the approval of Nicholas. and it
follows that if the Car entertains no objection
to the public participation of his brother-in-law
in Kishinef relief fund at Berlin. he cannot