Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-05
Views Of q Diplomat on Pend
ing Questions.
MAY PROVE BLESSING
TAX SYSTEM DISCUSSED IN ALL
PHASES.
Even Existence is Compelled to Pay
Constant Tribute to Golfers
of the Gear.

Copyright. 1904. by the Publishers Clearing Co.,
Grievous as she experiences of the civil
lied world are with regard to Russia, they
will, in the course of time. prove a bless
ing in disguise. The Russian official out
re- ges" will gradually furnish to every state
the final object lesson, firstly, that the Rus
sian government. in spite of western Eu-
ropean varnish, represents semi barbarous
principles; secondly, that the revolution
airy movement within for constitutional
form of government will surely be success
full as soon as the bankruptcy of absolutism
will have been proven by the outcome of
the present war. Russian official blunders
in the conduct of the war. the repeated
breach of neutrality against all the ma
lions, which has taxed to the limit the for
bearance of the great neutral powers. and
the sinking of the British fishermen in the
channel. which may have been due to panic.
ignorance and drunkenness. together with
many other symptoms of dissolution, pro-
vide the civilized world with material for a
campaign of education which the cry of
agony of the oppressed within the empire
could not do.
What was the effect of George Kennan's
revelations the Russian prison system
IN Siberia and Prince Kropotkin's cam
pafgn of information during several dec
AIDES? None whatever, except that the Rus
sian bureaucracy were more careful to hide
their evil conduct. The venal or intimidated
part OF the Russian and foreign press de-
MED or covered up the facts in the case
the foreign diplomats, feasted and wined
at the winter palace and adorned with
Russian crosses and decorat lions in con-
iormlty with the baleful and traditional
necessity of diplomatic amenity" that is
TO say, official conscious falsehood. kept
their respective peoples misinformed about
the true state of life in Russia. The re-
cent trial OF a number of German So
ciaHsts in konigsberg, eastern Prussia ac-
cused of hostile Vaccinations against the
RUSSIAN government, revealed such startling
facts of the distribution through MANY
lands or a Russian official net of criminals
on the Russian pay roll the Russian CON
sui general at that important city per
Jured himself and forged or faIsifed docu-
ments in the trial so shamelessIy that Ger
many was shaken to its foundation by
those incontestable reveal tons and by the
readiness of the German government to in
dlct German subjects upon Russian re-
quest. The crumbs offered to the Russian
people by the car upon the occasion of
the birth of the czarewitz are in themselves
proof sufficient how terrible must he The
iot OF the people and the army of common
soioiers, and especially the Jews and Dis
Sidents. us
Russian Tax System.
When the writer twelve years ago travel
ed through Russia for the purpose of
studying the Russian system of taxa
.ioH ana incidentally remarked to a very
hish ohiciaI OF the ministry of finance that
the taxes of the Russian peasant class
were very much lower than those of the
German peasants. this gentleman. a true
pdtriot ana man of heart replied. I'm
studying our system of taxation YOU must
not state what Is taken from our mushik.
piit what Is left to him. IL you will CON
slider that SO many millions q have forgot
ten the exact statistical data now. but they
were Tremendously Of our people have never
ia1d their head on pillow but on a stone
that the mortality of children from the
lack of milk, fresh air and a few rags to
cover tfem, in wide districts of Russia is
larger than anywhere in the world YOU will
form a truer idea of our system of taxa
tion."
When we consider the Russian people of
the middle class whose souls have not
been stamped out as those of the many mil
lions of peasants being the most hospitable
kind-hearted and respectful; when we learn
to know a large part of the lower gentry
who will under no condition enter upon
the civil service of the hopelessiy rotten
government, we truly astonisted how
the state machine could drift into such a
condition of perversity and police terrorism.
knowing the many virtues of the Russian
people, one cannot help doubling the truth
OF the old adage that every people has the
government which it deserves We can
understand the Sulen submission of the
people only on the ground that cities and
villages actually live under constant mar
tial law, that the Polish provinces, for in
stance smart under the incubus of 6DOOsJ
soldiers In time of peace.
A recent article in the London Chronicle
about the all-permeating corruption of Rus