Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-11-10


sistant. Whereupon the car cOnclud-
ed that the man whom every one
wanted for assistant might be n very
good chief. so White himself was Civ
en- the portfolio.
The secret of his success in these
early times and later was that he had
individual initiative. He dared to do
big things on his own responsibility.
The man who has the audacity for
| that, whether in Russia or elsewhere,
will either go to the scrap heap or be-
come man among men. White had
other qualities that made for success
One was that he worked hard. Anoth-
er was that he had genius for construc-
| ton and organization. But perhaps
his greatest asset was that he was a
| real man among nation of shamS and
seemingS. The genuine man if he has
stuff in him generally gets TO the front
in any quarter of the globe-that is, If
he isn't killed too soon.
Man of Great Bulk.
| The first impression one has on see
| ing this ablest of Russian statesmen is
the great bulk of him. He is verita-
bic elephant among men, over six feet
tall and so heavy he almost numbers
| in his walk. The second noticeable
thing is his simplicity. Frank. open,
even brusQue, yet always gentle, he
goes directly at the thing in hand. For
all that he is a skilled diplomat as was
shown at Portsmouth.
Here is another Of those pieces Of DO
etc justice that appear in the life of
this first of the Russian premiers. He
was the only conspicuous man in the
cars government who opposed the
war with Japan, and he did oppose it
at every step, was against pushing into
Korea, against occupying Port Arthur
and in favor of granting the japanese
demands before the war Yet-and
here comes the poetic justice-he was
the only Russian who won victory
against the Japs. That he did win
victory at the peace conference all the
world has borne witness.
This big, bluff Slav is not without
Witness. The Russian jingoes of an
earlier day know that. There was a
time when they We're mad for one 9TH
er war, but feared the great finance
minister's opposition. After the gener-
ais had all spoken for blood White sur
prised every one by warmly support
ing their plan. Then they asked him
by what means he intended to raise
the money for the war. Turning in
panied surprise to the car, he said:
''Surely your majesty does not expect
me to raise the money! emphasizing
the me" The thing is impossible
The treasury is practically empty, and
when L. expressed approval of the war
/ never dreamed but that the generals
who advised your majesty to declare it
had the money already in hand" which
ended that war bubble then and there
Always Favored Peace.
1t may be noted, by the way, that
Witte has always favored peace, and
1T is said all over Europe that he was
practically the author of The Hague ,
peace tribunal.
His great coup in checkmatng the
German flnanciers and making the val
ue of Russian money stable is notable.
The Germans had been specializing in
Russian currency as though 1t were an
ordinary stock. White sent agents to |
buy up all the available supply, and |
when 1t came time for the Germans to |
deliver they were caught short WHITE |
had them at his mercy and Only con- |
sented not to ruin them on thu prom |
Use that they would never speculate in
Russian money again. They never did. |
Count Witte married a Jewess, dill
vorced one at that. His wife Yns al |
ways ignored at court until recently. |
Perhaps that is the reason he. has al |
ways befriended the Jews.
This great statesman is very advanc-
ed In many ways and courageous with |
al in advocating his advanced ideas. |
He opposes a union of church and |
state. which gained him the hatred Of !