The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-09-18
and the price to the Government is increased
anc6lrdin OILS, Il.

direct theft. Thus such operations as those
just mentioned are considered quite CONNIE
fdM But minor official who embezzles
from public funds In his charge runs great
danger Of severe punishment on detection.
Even the boldest of such crimes, how
ever, often 60 unpublished The last great
robbery Of the publicly subscribed Red
Cross funds, one of the most detestable
national scandals Of the time, has brought
no retribution to the high placed thieves
These thefts, according to common re-
port, amounted to no less than IS per cent
OF the whole sum contributed In Russia
and abroad.
AS 1t Ia in high places, 80 it is in low.
Every minor official must have his bit.
His methods are different. for in most
cases he has no opportunity to plumber
indirectly the public purse. If he Is in
cluded In the general machine that draws
dividends from the payment Of contracts.
he gets proportion OF the graft, accord
ing to his position. II his duties have to
do with the enforcement Of laws and regu-
lations, then he blaokmails the public pre-
cisely in accordance with the system Of
Tammany In its worst days.
A single instance will illustrate the whole
procedure. A dog ran from it's house
into the street the other day without its
muzzle. Its owner the next day was fined
$3.50. There is no trial and no appeal
in such cases. the offender is simply noti-
fed to pay. Within q few hours the dog
owner in question received calls from three
or four individuals. each OF whom politely
intimated that II the matter was inside
right with him the annoyance Of fine
would not occur again.
Another every day incident which came
under my observation this week shows
the wonderful thoroughness of the passport
system and the motives which underlie
its strict enforcement.
A Russian clerk having an apartment
in the city took a room In the suburbs for
a few weeks and duly notified the police
that he intended to spend his nights in
this temporary abode. 1t happened that
he was detained In town late on a stormy
evening, and he went for the night to his
old lodging.
day or two later he was summoned
by the passport officials to explain this
procedure. He was told very sternly
that he had violated the regulations and
that he could not be registered in two
domiciles at the same time without special
permission.
Being wise Russian. he slipped three
ruble note into the officials hand. escaped
a ten-ruble fine and was graciously in
formed that in future he might sleep in
whichever lodging he pleased
1t should be borne in mind that St. Peters
burg Is and has been for years under mar
tial law. but its operation. aside from the
stringent regulations of the passport sys-
tenn, places no restrictions upon the liberty
OF its inhabitants. No law abiding Peters
burger is fettered in any way in his busi-
ness or in his amusements.
B On the contrary, 1t is impossible to with
hold strong tribute of admiration which
is compelled by the businesslike admins
tration of this clean, we'll ordered, splen-
didly built city. There are lessons to be
learned here by the urban jewellers Of the
American democracy, and it cannot be
said that an irresponsible autocracy Is a
failure in its application to municipal gov
eminent.
There fell into my hands few days
ago curious book. which was compiled
and published in English privately by the
Cars direction about ten years ago. Its
object was to present to the young Empress
a general view Of Russian government
and institutions from the Russian stand
point,
1t is entitled "The Statesma ms Handbook
for Russia" and it is edited by the Chan
Gerry of the Committee OF Ministers" Some
of it's utterances are so ingenious and with
al so enlightening that cannot refrain
from quoting a few sentences. What,
for instance, could match this attempt
to place Gil autocracy in favorable light
before democratic eyes,
The Russian Emperor is called autocratio
to distine iuish him from constitutional mon
archs. at be does not share his sovereign
rights with any Institutions or class in the
State. Consequently the Government Of the
Russian empire rests upon O firm foundation
of law proceeding from the autocratic power.
This fact gives to the whole order Of the
state in Russia q lawful character. which
thereby differentistes it from arbitrary forms.
1t implies that in Russia the law alone deter
mines both the rights Of power and the oblga-
tions of subjects Such a rule is In no way
opposed to the principle Of autocracy, as 1t
always lies in the sovereign power Of the
Emperor TO abrogate this or that law.
Greater authority and power than that
which is thus ascribed to the Russian En-
pcror it Is impossible to imagine. 1t is fur
Their indicated in the personal control of the
administration Of justice, which is set forth
in this extract:
Though the duty OF justice consists ex-
clusively in the exact application under his
Maiesty's authority Thy ukase, Of the acting
laws in separate cases. nevertheless the
monarch confirms the verdcts Of the courts
of law, as far as regards the deprivation Of
the rights of nobility. officials. church func-
tionaries and all persons possessing orders
or badges OF distinction: as no subordinate
power can enforce deprivation of what has
been granted by the sovereign power.
Not only is the Car himself free from the
trammels of the law IN governing his empire,
but he extends the came exemption to his
Ministers. This exte. sion Of authority is
described thus;
Ministers in cases not admitting of delay
may exec ed the limits OF their legal au-
thority and are only bound subsequently
to prove the urgency OF the measures adopted
The legislation OF recent years has more and
more frequently left II to Ministers to issue
orders not only for the fulhlment Of exist
ing laws. but also for their application.
as the law determines only general principles
and pecessitates the elaboration OF details
by means OF ministerial circulars.