New-York tribune., 1905-10-31
Count Hg,iffe, R1xssia's First Premier.
FROM


Minister of Finances, sought to have NJ Wtte
associated with him, but the latter devoted hin-
self to carrying out the Cars idea for trans
siberian railway which had long been planned
but which seemed able to complete. NJ
Witte soon had the project we'll started, and it
was completed along the lines he had laid out
But long before that time his field of activity
had become enlarged. When M. Vishnegradski
was incapacitated by paralysis in 1894 the post
of Minister of Finances offered to several
prominent men, and each would accept only If
M. Witte to be his assistant This led the
Car to decide on NJ, Witte himself for the post
at the head of this important department, and
he held the place for nearly ten years.
1t was as Finance Minister that M. Witte
was able to introduce many reforms and famii-
iarize himself with the Industrial development
which led to his work for the social and political
reform of Russia. His plans. most of which he
was able to carry into effect, included the
form of the Imperial Bank, the introduction of
the gold standard the fixing of the standard of
value of the ruble, the promotion of home in
dustries and the securing of a government mo-
nopoly in the manufacture of alcohol. He was
also active in promoting the development OF
savings banks, the emancipation of the peasants
from restrictive regulations, the freeing of the
Jews from restrictions, the spread of tech
nical education and the extension of commercial
negotiated large loans abroad, especially in
France. to secure funds for carrying to compile
tion the Transsberan Railway.
In 1903 NJ. Witte retired from the post of
Minister of Finances, and 1t was said the enc
mics he had made secured his transfer from 1t
to the post of president of the Committee of
Ministers with the hope of restricting his pow
ers. AT any rate this result followed, and it was
regarded as victory for his reactionary op
ponents when he was forced into comparative
retirement. He did not again come to the front
Russian affairs
Muravieff, who had been selected the head
of the Russian Peace Mission. declined the post.
and M, Witte was chosen. His experiences at
Portsmouth and the mastery manner in which
he plucked victory from the jaws of apparent
defeat in the peace negotiations are familiar to
all who have kept at all in touch with current
events. He went home to Russia to receive tho
praise of Emperor and people. to receive the title
of count and to be placed in position TO secure
for the Russian people at the hands of the auto
cratic Czar the gift of substantial freedom for
the people of All the Russias. and to lead them
in the path OF progress to freedom and enlight-
enment.
or the personal characteristics of Count witte
DR.. E. j. Dillon, the London correspondent,
wrote recently:
.Witte is man of strong temperament kind
ly disposition, is generally fair to his enemies,
always loyal to his friends, and continuously
polar with all humanity. His faults the
exaggerations of his qualities their indirect
results. In his case the needle of human per-
fection. intellectual other, trembles and does
not invariably point to the north. He has made
many mistakes because of his habit of learning
mainly from experience. whose school fees are
exorbitant. But much Will be forgiven to him
by history because hs has accomplished much
He Is In sympathetic touch with every class,
every element OF society, in Russia, and has a
frm grasp upon the deepest strain of thought
and feeling there. Being himself alive in every
FIBRE he delights in seeing the vital force OF
others deployed. for his attitude toward subordi-
mates and fellow workers is encouragement not
restraint.
"The keynote of his character is simplicity
And therein lies Whites force He allows his
audience to behold the effect produced upon him
n n aafa
he is called on to serutiniZe and his hearers then
insensibly pass through the emotional
stages as himself Into Whites judgment emo
ton enters as readily sap into LEAKAGE. He Is
no mere theorizer. but daring experimental
ist who sometimes has to pay high price for
his knowledge. He breaks through mere alb
stractions as bird through a web"