New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-08-22
FEELING OF FINLANDERS.
Ho5c Death of assassin of Their
Liberties Is Regarded.

H. Montague Bonner. the writer OF the Following
letter. is native OF tln4ana ana a a9roec Oh one
his father, uncles and other relatives having oeen
and some Of them having been prosecuted by the
Russian Plehve- Bobrikoh government for their
YORK is a nafuraIized citizen and Is we'll known as
q teacher. lecturer and author
To the Editor OF The Tribune
Sir: "'Uuexpected' is not, uuhappy, one OF the
adjecttves which can be used 70 describe the vio-
lent death OF the man who. above al others. was
responsible for the oppression OF Finland and OF the
Jews IN Russia AS in the case OF B0brikor the
crimes Of Won Plehve against liberty and justice
had been so EIaTiug and constant that the fate
which overlook him seemed sooner or later inevt-
table and, 2Eain. as in the case OF Bohrikon. the
opinion OF civilized Europe punctuated though Il
be with perfunctory expressions OF regret az the
manner Of NJ PIehves taking OF. holds with note
worthy unanirnity that his fate was deserved, and
has not a word coudemnatory OF the rejoicing with
which not only the Finauders. both IN and out OF
their country, but Russians OF all classes, have
hailed the death Of the assassin OF their liberties
In accordance with the policy OF systematic mis-
representation BY which the bureaucrats have all
along sought bolster UP their CAUSE the Russian
governments persistent has been TO declare
the assassination OF the Minister be tho work OF
a Finr or oe 4 Jew. Had this really been the case.
II would, OF course have been easy 70 ascribe the
deed to tho pernicious activity Of discontinued
faction in Finland or among the Jews. and 70
conceal little longer from general knowledge the
parlous state of affairs the very hea-thstone
OF the empire. with dssension and seething
with discomfort II Is, state revealed by the
damning fact that the instrument OF popular
wrath against NJ Plehve a Russian Of Rus
SLAMS animated by that fierce hatred OF the tyraut
Minister which was far from being confined 10 the
alien subject peoples that had felt his iron hand.
Among the FInlanders here and in Paris the
marked feeling IS one OF intense RELIEF. Il
is a trJisn remark that the OF good gov
erument was never forwarded by assassination.
yet II is felt that the removal OF NJ. Plehve. IN
whom the policy OF ruthless repression and reac-
ton had reached It's climax. and who had declared
that one OF the accomplices OF the slayer of
Bobrkoff should escape him (when it Is perfectly
well known that there were such accompuces).
cannot well result in anything but ameoratlon,
however slight. OF the present intolerable cond-
tons In this connection. the appointment OF NJ
p1lrnovo, n. Plehves assistant Minister Of
the Interior ad interim is viewed with satisfaction
as he is generally recognized a OF integrity
of purpose and Of humane procivttes. whose elo-
walton to the vacant post, instead OF other men.
notably General Won Wahl and Prince Obolensky
or even Muravien, all OF whom have been named
as possible occupants. would be hailed by all
classes as a harbingeT Of n brighter era, return
from the fanatical and shortstghted policy into
which the late prince OF bureaucrats had plunged
the Russian government, with such disastrous Ell
feet both at home and abroad
And here it may be as we'll 10 picture the late
Minister as he appeared IN the eyes OF the Films
who have had the best OF opportunities for study
Ing him at close range
The English press, like that OF other countries.
in their obituary descriptions has been hard put
to It to find something in the dead despots char
acrer and career to which II could point a
deenling feature OF this evil genius Of Russia"
Organs Of all shades Of opinion could unite in
crediting the dead statesman with great. II
row, powers Of mind and untiring energy; but, mis-
directed as these attributes were. they presented
little that could touch sympathetic human chord
The codly planned cruelty and the ruthlessness of
the mans policy had been for so long matter OF
current gossip in all the leading centres Of Euro
mean cUIt,1re as we'll as common knowledge even
in the back districts Of every land, that the only
paliation discoverable by human kindness. ever
os tn 70 believe in unre!ieved backness, was found
in ascribing 10 NJ. Plehve deep rooted conviction
that his policy of repression and undiIuted abso-
s,tisro was the only system whereby the true vel
fare of the Muscovite empire threatened by multi
form, nerils could be secured This solution OF the
nrobleun was so natural. so easy-above all, so con-
venient-that the grehl pO"S VI 0i'40S "OO0pte4 II
without question.
II must be said, however. that geperal opinion
in Finland guided by those who have, unhappily
for themselves, had Closest dealings with NJ
Pehys (who AUST not be forgotten, held for the
Iae+ rive wears ire post of Secretary OF State for
F4nland-the first Russian so 10 do. does not ac-
cept this charitable ncerp- tation OF the dead Min
ister's rigor 1t holds that love OF power was the
all determining motive OF II. Plehve's career. and
that to attain and retain power ali the energies
of his masterfuI mind were directed The mans
mixed extraction stood him in great stead for
with German thoroughness he combined Muscovite
ferocity and q truly Oriental astuteness and Gun
ming In this latter quality it was that he out
ranked NJ. Witte. his mosL eminent and redoubt-
able rival and through 1t he was finally enabled
TO triumph over the great Minister OF Finance.
The latter, undoubtedly the only enc OF the high
advisers OF the crown whose vision pierced be-
yond the narrow confines OF bureaucracy to the
true sources OF imperial greatness and national
strength. blunt and uncompro1nising in hts