New-York tribune., 1904-08-07
TWO VEXED RULERS.
cyar and Pope Confronted by Crises
Of the Grauest Character.

49,, 7ulers who nave much n common occupy
,o,,,,ar attention just a; tee present moment
- c-or ana Plus X who celebrates the day
u u .,-.,orror.. namely on August .. the first
,uorear ry ~ the beginning Of his rule. For
-. rones IN accordance with ancient usage
- tba beginning % their pontiiicates from
a., az coronation instead Of from that OF
.ton Nicholas exercises temporal rule over
ea c,,a hundred and thirty million persons
"a claims spiritual Jurisdiction over many
as the oonsecrated chief Of the Ortho-
- Creek Catholic Church. whereas the
- ,,ontiR whose ecclesiastical sway ex-
go oxsr two hundred million persons, claims
,.rono-al monarchy that according to some
.sesss ont OF existence forever, while in
80 on,rioa of others its suspension is merely
a, re nature OF a periodical eclipse.
,,.t tha Gar and the Pope are now in the
iast If grave crises. In the case Of Nicholas,
-. ,-o:Ierns by which he is confronted COM
Use the war with Japan the danger Of COM
r,ations with other lowers and internal dis
s~ssrs. Of ,yhlci. she recent murder Of NJ. PlehVe
r.s a sensational manifestation, while so far as
p,s Y is concerned the conflict in which he
80 bocar,s involved with the government OF
rrsaoe-once 50 proud Of Rer title OF eldest
Ssuehter Of the Clurch"-has become so acute
fkst heT a4Ase4---'4N 49, ~@''-'70 ' -
has ceased
Among the most noteworthy failures OF the
,.,s.Ion in Russia Is the remarkable fact that,
a,.bopRb three Cabinet Ministers and several
o.bsr heh dgnitaries such as for instance.
.orer,o- General Bobr!koff Of Finland. have
.,v murdered i number more wounded snd
s,,res upon scores Of unsuccessful attempts 10
,srrsflate what are known as political assas-
s,rstions" have taken place yet no attack has
heon made as yet uIon the life Of Nicholas since
size cecession TO the crown. He has enjoyed
,,n,u now an immunity IN this particular Of
,rlich neither % his two predecessors on the
throne could boast L would seem as il the
,srrorlsts-that is 70 say all those Tevolutionists
a. his Dominion who resort to the knife. 10 the
,,s.ol snd 10 the bomb 10 accomplish their ends
--,,e convinced OF his kindly humane and lib
,raI .atentions. and regard the statesmen ana
of7cials by whom he IS surrounded as being the
obstacles 10 the execution OF his enlightened
reforms and progressive IDEAS. There Is mueA
20 confirm them in this belief.
For Nicholas has issued a number OF decrees'
.sob ~ them characterized by breadth of View
ma generous conception, such as. for instance
fbs uzase Of March TO- 1898. Gecreeing religious
..,,r,nce aud freedom of creed and worship
throughout his doolinions: the uFsse ahoishing
administrative punishment-that is to say, the
lnAction OF penalties otherwise than by sentence
Of duly constituted tribunal; the decree put
fling an end to dogging and TO Siberian exile, and
r,-sses removing many OF the most objectionable
restrictions imposed upon the Jews, modifying
the censorship Of the press ane Temitting the ar
rssrs OF taxation Of the peasantry. Each OF
these DEGREES bears the same impress OF the per-
sonality Of Emperor Nicholas as the Hague
Peace Conference, which he organized in the
face Of the opposition of his counselors. and II
the ukases have remained in many cases dead
letter It Is due TO the obstacles placed, without
his knowledge. in the way OF their execution by
his ministers. by his relatives and by that off,
cIaldcu which is in many respects the bane CT
Russia
Wrapped up IN his wife and children. 10 whom
&c devotes every moment he can spare from his
Duties as q monarch, so simple. unaffected and
opposed TO fuss and feathers" that he has de-
clined to don the Insignia OF q general or field
srarshal, and contents himself with those OF a
colonel, the military rank which he bore while
stu heir apparent; conscientious. deeply relig-
ious, wholly free from those vices which tarnish
The record Of many OF his predecessors on the
throne; so thoroughly liked by the people that
he is able to drive about the streets Of ST. Peters
burg and even 10 ride on trameaFs unattended,
Nicholas is the victim Of an immense amount of
misrepresentation abroad. Many OF the stories
concerning him are fabricated at Berlin and at
Vienna by the local press for the purpose OF IN
tuencing Russian funds which are largely dealt
with IN the money markets OF these Two Euro
pean capitals. Others emanate from disgruntled
statesmen and officials, and even from person.
ages Of st!ll more exalted rank at st. Peters
burg. who. ini,nical to the Cars policy OF re-
form, hope Illustrate his honest efforts by dis
creditng him.
one particularly malicious slsnder, rejecting
or his courage has been traced 10 the court it,
SCI, while the recent article in the English
Quarterly" so full of contradictions and abb
tp'oities, bears evidence Of similar inspiration.
Thus the statement that Nicholas has aban-
oohea the control OF all naval matters 10 his
Uncle Alexis, prince said to be completely
ehaer the influence Of a fair but frail French
Hlsna through whom commands are obtained
ana distributed. is entirely contrary 10 fact.
for the Emperor allows himself to be guided
oF any one in affairs relating to the fleet It IS
y AIs 0rother-in-law. Alexander Michaelowitch.
'As soinFer OF Captain Mahan, L. s. N. and
's translator OF his works into Russian, and
'0N9 Duke Alexis bitterly complains that al
,"0ush the ranking oflcer Of the navy he has
@ ~esH sNoTh Of all power. and to all intents and
purposes shelved
1Asn' tee Nicholas suffers from the fact that
sNers In forming their opinions about Rus
- invariably judge people and affairs in the
Is00FHe Empire by their own Western stand
~ Ahls Is a mistake. While some OF our
eih institutions may be adopted with ad-
image IN Russia, there are others that are
V unsuited Thus. IN certain respects. the
- .se'S 'a OF the Car enjoy far greater amount
= lt-goYernmsnt than the people in republi-
- - france, Indeed. IN no country in CONT
-su'al Ell Europe does the village commune or mir.
-, - as duly elected Elders. possess such ex-
's powers-powers that comprise even the