The Savannah morning news., 1904-08-20
RUSSIAN VIEW OF THE CAR.
His Maiesty's Spirit Of "seIf-ExaI-
tRtion.;
From the London Times.

From the London Times.
The July number of the Quarterly
| Review, published July IA. contains
striking article on Nicholas H., which
is written, we ARE told in footnote,
by a Russian official in high position.
The article takes up what to English
| readers will be the novel position that
/ the Car himself, and not his min
listers, is actually as well as nominal
| ly responsible for the mistakes in do
nestle and foreign policy which have
| been made during his reign. In repro
ducing some of the statements made
in support of this view, we do not as
sumo any responsibility for their ac-
curacy, though the fact that the ar
ticle appears in the Quarterly Review
is evidence that the writer is a re-
sponsible person The writer begins
with an account of the bad impression
made by the Car at his first public
interview with the State Council, and
after describing his meeting with the
representatives of the Zemstvas a few
ton of severity. he met their express
sion of hope that his confidence might
not be confined to the bureaucracy
with a command to them to put away
chimerical notions, says:
Between those two public appear
dlCtS VI NlCllOIdS IL. lay lHdL EIOIL
period of suggestion during which the
impressionable youth had been made
not so much to believe as to feel that
he was Gods lieutenant, the earthly
counterpart of his divine Master. From
that time forward his majesty has
been filled with spirit of self-eXalta-
ton which has gone on gaining strength
strength, in accordance with the psy-
Geological law that pride usurps as
much space as servility is ready to
yield. Nikolai Alexandrovitch soon be-
gan to look upon himself as the CEN
ter of the world, the peacemaker of
mankind the torchbearer of ciViliza-
ton among the yellow and other
'barbarous' races, and the dispenser
Of almost every blessing to his own
happy people. Taking seriously this
his Imaginary mission, he has meddled
continuously and directly in every al
fair of state domestic and foreign
thwarting the course of justice, under
mining legality, impoverishng peace,
and yet plunging his tax-burdened peo-
pie into the horrors Of a sanguinary
and needless war"
The article then goes on to point out
that the Car has been unfortunate in
his choice of advisers. NJ. Sipiaguine
the Minister of Public instruction. who
was assassinated on April IA, 1904, was
intellectually Boeotian. but socially
dBTtedDles ne was a courier VINO nat
tered the Gar and oppressed the peo-
pie. NJ. de Plehve is described as an
official who is toleraby instructed, pos
sesses an intricate acquaintance with
the seamy side of human nature, knows
how to touch deftly the right chords Of
sentiment, prejudice. or passion, and
can keep his head i'm the most alarm
ing crisis. NJ de Whites fall is attrib-
uted to his unwillingness to play the
courtier:
He not only spoke freely to Nicho-
las II. but refused to change his opin-
ion in accordance with the Emperors
desires He also declined TO dupe the
foreign powers Your majesty pledged
your word to evacuate Manchuria, and
the world believed you Russia will
now lose all credit, and perhaps not
even gain Manchuria, II 1t please your
majesty to break that pledge. War
also will follow, and we sorely need
peace. Besides Manchuria is useless
TO us. Therefore / cannot be a party
to this policy Thus plainly spoke the
Finance Minister. needless of courtiy
phraseology 'Witte is a naughty die
tator who gives himself the air OF an
Emperor So spoke the courtiers
among themselves and to his majesty
through the Grand Dukes. And the
autocrat. wrathful that subject
should oppose his wishes and refuse to
cooperate with him in protesting to
work for peace while provoking war,
dismissed him"
The following comments are made
on the Cars conduct Of public busi-
ness.
He Is ever struggling with phan-
toms, lighting with windmills, con-
versing with saints, or consulting the
spirits Of the dead. Bur OF the means
at hand for helping his people or let-
ting them help themselves he never
avails himself. Books he has long ago
ceased to read. and sound advice he
Is Incapable OF listening TO. His MIN
listers he receives with great formality
and dismlsses with naughty condescen-
gion. They are often kept In the dark