New-York tribune., 1904-09-25
RUssIAS NEW MINISTER.

1t IS not often that the world gets more
suggestive or what should be a more encour-
aging utterance out Of the vast silence OF Rus
sian officialdOm than that contained in The
Associated Press interview with Prince Sviato
polk-Mirsky, which we printed in yesterdays
Tribune. That nobleman IS the successor or
the late Mr. Plehve as Minister OF the Interior.
Some years ago, when Mr.. Chamberlain be-
came British Secretary OF State for the Colo
MES we remarked in these columns that he
was above all his colleagues the imperial min
lister. since the British Empire was pre-emi-
nently a colonial empire, and the Colonial Min
lister, therefore had to do with its greatest in
terests. That was estimate which subse-
auent events promptly vindicated. So now we
may say that the Russian Minister Of the In
terror is, or logically should be, the chief of
all the Cars cOunsellors and aids, since the
greatest problems of Russian government are
those which pertain TO its domestic affairs. In
comparably superior TO all foreign relations and
external aspirations is the need OF improving
the internal condition of Russia.
That fact Prince Sviatopolk-MlTsky appears
TO appreciate He has, he says been a lifelong
student Of the Russian people. He needs to
have been in order TO understand them and
their necessities; and it is well that he has
studied them from more sympathetic point
of view than that of police officer which was
that OF his predecessor. He realizes, he says,
the complexity Of the problem before him, and
his words avOuch his truth and sanity, for he
goes on TO say that in his estimation neither
radicalism nor reaction will afford the true
luton. while the granting at once Of a liberal
constitution is simply impossible. We have re-
Gently pointed out the very grounds upon which
the Prince bases this reasonable theory. Reae
lion is. Of course to be deprecated Experience
+fo%i no Az for
radical revolution we have only TO remem-
Der how ignorant and ilIiterate are the over
whelming masses of the Russian people. how
little experienced they are in anything like
general self-goyernment, and how rampant and
potent among them are rude and tumultuous
passions, in order to realize how perilous would
be the experiment Of dumping them all precipi-
lately into the socio-political melting pot
"Step by step" wrote the poet-philosopher Of
"Locksley Hail." 1--WE gained freedom known
10 Europe known to all" We must remember
that the growth of English, and therefore Of
American, self-gOvernment was indeed grad
ual thing, beginning with Magma Charta and
eliminating In the Declaration OF Indepen-
denee 1t would be madness 10 expect a ma
tion TO move at single step. from a tyranny
as absolute as that Of John Lakeland to
freedom comparable with our own or even
with that Of England.
II may be suggestive to observe that Prince
Sviatopolk- -Mirsky gave The Associated Press
this interview just as he had done his last
work as Governor of Wilma, namely, the unveil-
ing OF statue of Catherine the Great. He will,
If he succeeds in his aspirations as Minister,
need TO regard the example of that mightest
OF Russian soyereigns as one to be avoided
rather than followed. We need not go so far
as TO say with BrOugham that "history affords
few examples of such force of character on
throne perverted to the working Of so much
mischief" She did work much mischief. and
she also worked much good But what IS to be
remembered is that her greatness was in for
eign affairs. in waging wars of conquest in
extending the boundaries and the external in
duence Of Russia. In domestic affairs her
reign was almost entirely evil. Where it was
DOT oespouc' IL "as hopelessly I'll advised She