Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-01

fill with ease an-order that would stagger
any other corporation In the world.
1t Is therefore feleyed by one or two high
authorities. at LEAST that this enormous
favorable sign fer peace
Those who take this view Of the matter
DO not attempt TO Explain how the fifty
ships that will be needed to transport the
rails, locomotives and; cars across the Pa
cific ocean are to be protected on their
voyage.
The only theory thus far advanced is that
the Russians are depending upon their Bal
tic fleet, now lowering around the northern
shores or Madagascar, to annfhilate the
Japanese navy, or at least to put 1t out OF
business or keep 1t so busy that 1t will have
no time to interfere with commerce headed
fol' Vladivostok. The entire story seems al
most Incredible -
Money for the Supplies.
There is another point of view also.
Where do the Russians expect to raise the
money to pay for these supplies? While
the amount is not very large compared
with the hundreds of millions already ex-
pended and wasted at Port Arthur and
elsewhere In war preparations, the demands
upon Russia s treasury are growing larger
and larger, and the temper of the people,
as displayed throughout the entire empire
just recently, does not promise we'll for IN
creased revenues
A French newspaper, which has always
been friendly to Russia, contains a letter
from it's ST. Petersburg correspondent, writ
ten more than month previous to the re-
cent disturbances, In which it is stated
that eighteen months ago, shortly before
his retirement from the ministry, NJ de
Wltte made report to the imperial council
concerning the public revenues and the
economic condition of the country, which
was not only discourag ing but almost hope
less.
In this report 1t was shown that the far
mers were then taxed about so per cent of
their entire incomes, and that the agricult
ural taxes in various parts of Russia were
in arrears varying from 10 to 60 per cent
of the assessments
People Unable to Pay.
M. de Witte explained that this was not
due to any neglect on the part of the tax
collectors, nor to any unwillngness of the
people to pay, but was solely because of
their inability to do so. He declared
that the taxpayihg resources of the
empire had been exceeded for several
years; that the burden upon the people was
not only intolerable but impossible for them
to carry; that the existing conditions of the
agricultural and economic industries made
it imperative to reduce taxation Immediate
ly. before reaching a crisis which could not
be met without national bankruptcy.
He recommended therefore. that all eX-
penditures of the government in all dlrec-
tons and for all purposes be reduced as
much possible; that the totals of the
budget be cut down 33 per cent; and that
the reductions be distributed among the
different departments, where they could be
applied with the least detriment to the
public service. He also recommended de-
crease Of 33 per cent in all Of the taxes i'm
posed upon the agricultural classes of Rus
STA
This French correspondent mentioned.
among other things, that NJ. de White call
ed attention to the annual deficit of nearly
$25, O00, 600 In the Siberian railroad, which
In his opinion, could be largely reduced by
the encouragement of commercial and in
dustrial enterprises along the line and by
active measures to improve the commercial
relations Of Russia with China and Japan.
Whites Councils Unheeded.
This report is represented to have been
made to the imperial council more than
eighteen months ago. Subsequent events
would indicate that It received no attention
from the ear or the other members of the
ministry. On the contrary, NJ. de White
was shortly afterwaTd driven from the
cabinet; Japan was provoked to make war,
and hundreds of millions of treasure have
already been expended in hostilitles, with
out any reduction of, taxation.
At the same time the taXpaying element
of the empire has been weakened contlnu-
ously by calling from the fields and facto-
ries the members of the army reserve and
sending them to. the seat of war.