The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-11-28
ANSWER WILL COME
WHEN WAR IS OVER.
au.,.an Statesman Talks of the
Crisis That Is Now Felt.

Yu.,,au Statesman Talks of the
Crisis That Is Now Felt.
Ct Petersburg, Nov. 27.-One Of the
most commanding figures and far-see-
ING statesmen of the empire, whose
oninion is of the highest value, Sbut
who has declined to permit the use Of
his name, in conversation with the AS
sociated Press to-day expressed the
distinct conviction that nothing in the
nature of a radical change in the ex-
isting order of things would result
from the Zemstvo congress.
This statesman, it is stated, is a
firm believer in the principle of au-
yocracy as the best system of govern
,rent for the realization of the dreams
of the Slav race, and what he believes
10 be the great destiny of the most
nopuIous nation and vastest empire in
the world; but he has himself in fact
favored a liberal policy. and is now too
practical minded not to appreciate the
factors which threaten the present re-
ginle Still, he does not believe that
ANYTHING like crisis now confronts
The government. In his opinion, eV
erything depends upon the war.
THE war;" the statesman said, lis
q big interrogation point for Russia.
Her future at home and abroad is in
volved in the issue. The internal sit
uation is very complicated. The action
of the Zemstvo representatives is a
SYMPTOM of the disease from which
Russia suffers; but these few men have
not necessarily made a correct dag
flosis or offered the true remedy. Theirs
Is in no sense the verdict of the peo-
pie. but only the opinion of class.
The real representatives of the Rus
sian people, could they assemble and
could they argue, would probably
enunciate programme quite as repug-
nent to the Zemstovists as to the sup
porters of the present programme.
The men who assembled here last
week do not propose true representa-
tive government. They would really
substitute the rule of class autocracy
tor imperial autocracy. The Russian
peasant, who represents four-fifths of
the population, with his Unborn sense
OF devotion to the Emperor, would
doubtless prefer the latter to the for
mer Were / a minister and working
for the good of the country, 1 should
prefer to obey the mandates of the
Emperor to those Of a bogus parlia-
ment, protesting to speak by authority
of the people.
IF Zemstvo-elected representatives
should sit in the council of the empire
they would be equally as spurious as
representatives of the people. Neither
the country nor the people are pre-
pared for true representative govern
Enent. Anarchy would take the place
of government, and the empire would
crumble to pieces.
so far as the programme of the
Zemstvoists is concerned, 1 am sure
neither the Emperor nor the govern
ment believes in it: but this does not
mean that liberalism is to end The
policy represented by Won Plehve, in
my opinion, can never return. Prince
Sviatopolk- Mirsky is a courag eous, sin
cere man and stands for broad and
liberal policy, but constitution now
Is out of the question.
L will not discuss what may occur
In the future, but 1 repeat, everything
depends on the war. It's outcome will
determine whether there will be a
crisis and its character. Japan, be-
Meve, would now welcome peace, and
so would Russia also, but l cannot see
how it is possible for them to come
to terms. Therefore, the war must go
on. When it ends an answer to all
these questions will come"