The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-22
Seraei Witte, Now to the Fore
in Russia, a Man With Theory

were dear and pure, some were cheap and
ndulterated. Now there Is standard
price and standard vodka
The Government decides the standard
Of purity which--bad spirits being cheaper
than goods not high but there is big
revenue in il The revenue increases ac-
cording to the consumption, which COM
pels the tax ga, herers to urge the peasants
10 spend their few kopeks on vodka they
thereby contribute more TO the State than
II they bought clothes or spades.
They have been so universally and easily
persuade 20 drink vodka on every occa-
sion as a patriotic proceeding that when
they are summoned out as reservists Tor
the war they hold it an outrage that tho
vodka shops are closed SO long as 1t IL
their own earnings they are to spend the
money may 60 for vodka and so return to
the Government money box; but when It Is
Government pay 4 is otherwise especially
as vodka is not conducive TO soldiers walk
ing straight.
This Is the application of Wittes State
ownership with which the people at large
are most familiar. From it they judge
Writes policy.
He has completed the State ownership "
the railroads and advocates State owner
ship Of all the shipbuilding yards.
1t IS obvious that the Irst necessity OF
his system is heavy taxation. What he
declares is a more than counterbalancing
advantage Is that all this state treasure
can be applied 10 the development Of the
country, for he holds most emphatically
that it is economic development aud uot'
constitutional reform that Is best for Russia
He is 70 sure that this IS what he wants
that he ia not stopped by the lamentable
fact that all this money which he would
apply 10 the state development OF the
country's resources must he handled by
the same class of men whose open roguery
is a bvword in every house In Russia
Whites great strength with his country
men. and the quality that Is making him
indispensable 10 the Car, Is his intelligence.
He is so well endowed with able brains
that all the immediate lieutenants he gath
cred round him when Minister Of Finance
we're nble men
A VI mister Of less capacity would have
filed his staff with commonplace people,
il only from the fear Of being supplar,ed
by one Of them. Indeed, the accepted
explanation for the presence Of most heads
Of Government departments in their Posts is
that they are so stupid as TO arouse no mans
envy Wtte has none Of that Grovelling
view OF craftsmanship in his composition.
II is not from syccphancy that he has
backed the Car in resisting any conces-
sions TO consttutonalism, but because he
has another policy Incompatible with that.
ANY assemoiare with powers 70 withhold
money or to oppose further invasions by tho
State with the money raised by. taxation
into industrial competition with the people
who have 70 pay the taxation might thwart
his whole pr)granme. Therefore he VIII
have none Of IL
Into the wider field OF international
statesmanship Witte carries the same ideal.
He is not a friend OF the French alliance,
because the French loans have already
served their purpose He is a supporter
e good relations with Germany. h6couse
Rus ia's nearest le.ghbor is better placed
help her sconorGic development than
France His attitude 10 the 1t a tho world
IL governed solely by its Use iuiness IN sup
porting Russia's gold reserve.