New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-11-12
REFORMS IN RUSSIA.

Those who are too ready to hail the advent Of
che new Minister of the Interior in Russia as
marking the beginning of new era Will DO well
10 remember thai one swallow does not make a
summer. Neither does a succession OF swal-
lows make a summer, if they come and go one
by one while conditions of winter still prevail
on every hand. We have in the present reign
and in its two immediate predecessors seen
many apparent harbingers of reform in the Mus
ccrite sky. They have come and they have
gone but the old unreformed system" still
goes on. We do not say il will go on forever.
We do not believe IL will or can. We sincerely
hope the present indications OF something bet
ter viii prove more true than any that have
gone before But # is only judciOus to regard
rhe case with conservatism and with caution,
and not to acclaim an immediate revolution
lust because single Minister does one or two
good acts.
The hope that Prince Sviatopolk- Mirsky will
prove the prophet OF new political dispen-
sation is indeed somewhat better grounded than
were some other hopes that have hitherto come
to naught. All that we know of him person
ally and OF his relations with the Gar in
clines us to have faith in him and in the efficacy
of his labors. 1t rs true he is idealist. Ideal
ism is Characteristic of Russians. He is not
likely for that reason TO fail. His ideals are
good They also practicable. 1t is a sig
nificant index OF Russia's backwardness of
the elementary stage in which her national de-
velopment still is. that what are the most COM
monplace Of probabilities 10 other nations are
advanced ideals TO her. She stands to-day where
ether countries stood scores of years. in some
cases centuries, ago. We may say with conf
dence therefore, that her ideals are practicable
because they have been successfully put into
practice by other nations.
II is auspicious then, that the new Minister
declares himself in favor of equality of treat
ment Of all regionists We know that such Il
policy is practicable, because it is practsed here
and elsewhere, where there might be stronger
case made out for observation-disclosures, rather, a
less weak one-than in Russia. There is no
city in Russia with as large a Jewish popua-
ton as NewYork. There is none where Jewish
competition IN business is as keenly felt or
where il would be as keeny felt as here. Yet
any proposal to discriminate, cvlly or legally
against the Jews. as in Russia, would here be
regarded no less preposterous and impossible
than proposal 10 form a syndicate In sun spots
If practise equality among all creeds
and races here, they can do the same In Russia
and can CO IL there, as we do here, 10 the net
profit OF the community and Of the state We
have said many times that talk about an i'm
mediate granting OF a democratic constitution
10 the Russian Empire Is futile, because the
Russian people do not desire it and are not fit
ted for IL. Some time, in the far future they
may desire ii and may become fitted for 1t. and
then they will get it. But that Is not TO say the
time is not ripe for any reforms. There are
various important reforms which might be
naade. which should be made. and which. we