New-York tribune., 1903-03-22

saw the supreme spiritual head of the church,
consecrated as such at the time Of his corona
ton and enabled by means of this ecclesiastical
dignity to take the sacraments in the manner
Of the clergy instead of as mere Iaynan 1t
had not been difficult, therefore, to create
throughout nearly ali classes of Ofticialdom the
Impression that people who denied the Cars
epiritua1 supremacy with regard to their re-
igious beliefs likewise rebe!led against his SUI
frcrnacv in temporal affairs; that orthodoxy was
inseparable from loyalty to the crown, and that
the fact of being a Lutheran, a Roman Catholic,
II Anglican or, in one word, d diSsenter of any
kind or form was equivalent to being foe
10th Of Emperor and of state. This belief was
particularly foStered during the reign OF the
Hrst Emperor Nicholas, during the closing years
uf Alexander II and throughout the reign OF
Alexander III. Not that the last named was hlm-
t.f an intolerant man in matters of faith Indeed,
his most trusted and devoted general, aide de
camp and secretary, old General Richter, was
81 dcvout Lutheran, and another of his chosen
friends a man for whom he entertained the
most profound reverence and affection, was
CONAN Catholic village priest in Russian Po-
land
I;ut in an unfortunate moment ne appointed
his old tutor Pobiedonostseff. to the post Of
Irocurator General of the Holy Synod, knowing
tim to be man of the most sterling integrity
with the idea that he would, as the alter ego OF
t.c crown in ecclesiastical matters inauguratc an
,.;l of greater discipline among the clergy, as
Ttu as introduce some urgently needed re-
rms The Procurator General however, WIS a
nan imbued with fanaticisru in matters "l re-
Ion that was totally out of keeping with the
resent age, and this, together with his deep
! .n:.d devotion to the Car, led him not only
+, make use Of his position to foster the doc
t,..:.n among all classes of ofIiciald0m that or
tr.,ioxy was Indispensable to loyalty and that
r.i1ious dissent spelled treason, but also to exert
-! his authority as perhaps the most influential
l.. fIbcr Of the Council of Ministers and of the
6. l4,te of the Empire to pcrsecute by itd!nITls-
r,itive means all the non-orthodox subjects OF
t.. Gar into joining the established church.
That constitutes the keynote of the era of
tyranny which may be said TO have prevailed
d. I.n.7 the reign of Alexander III, and in a
miller form until recently. tyranny the exist
20. of which it is impossible to deny, since it
g. to the expatriation not merely of hundreds
of thousands but even of millions of subjects
Of the Russian crown who declined to join the
orthodox church and which resulted in the
D:t.iSfment Of many hundreds of Roman CathO-
IL. clergy and even some bishops to Siberia, as
we'll as in the closing Of some of the most
f;l,I.uus and useful universities and seats of
learning in the dOminiOnS of the autocrdt.
Emperor Nicholas, however. vs. man of
broader views and of more progressive mind
than was his father. He has enjoyed the advan-
t;-..s of more extensive foreign travel than had
el.r fallen to the lot of his predecessor on the
throne, and, being omnivOrous reader has
been able to keep himself abreast of and in
touch with foreign ideas and with the spirit Of
the age. While fully approaching the integrity
aMd the devotion of Nj. PObedCnostseff, he enter
taiIcd but little Of Alexander HIS sympathy
aI:I affection for the man, and after repeatedly
rcmunstI ating with him he has at length asked
for and received his resignation. And, in order
that there shall be no mistake. either at home
or abroad, about his complete disapproval of the
Pr"curator Generals policy he has issued this
decree in which, after having called attention to
the principles OF religious tolerance laid down
ty the fundamental laws Of the Russian En-
pirr," that is to say, the laws established by