The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1905-11-01
WHITES RISE
STORY OF THE NEW RUSSIAN
PREMfER's cAREER,As AN Elk.
poNENT OF LIBERALISM.

Eitte, clothing him with plenary pow
srs. comes as a pleasant surprise to
Feaceioyers the world over; and they
I'm hope that the latest rumors of u
disagreement between the Gar and
Barun Witte will prove nnfounded.
,zys the Pittsburg Dispatch.
For, together with Count Lamsdorf.
s-rince Khilkov. Baron Rosen and
sshers. Witte. before the war broke
sut. opposed tostilities with Japan. or,
i1dccd. with any other land. Toseth-
= With his colleague, General Kuropat.
Er, then Minister OF War, Sergius
Ritte. then Minister of Finance, knew
boy unprepared, both in military
and In q financial sense, Russia was to
light any one, even her own insurrec.
fsouists and mutineers. He realized
hat the policy pursued by Mr.. Bezo.
nrazoy, president of the 7alu Timber
Company; by viceroy Aiexief and MIN.
Ester Plehve Of the Interior would
sorce Japan lntoa declaration of war.
i,hough he promoted the building of
tie Trans-siberian railway. the aggres.
ssSn attendant upon the creation of a
Russian yiceroyalty in the Far East
net with Baron Whites frankly ex.
Pressed disapproval. and ultimately
raused his downfall two years ago as
kinister OF Finance, position which
he Ind reached step by step from thar
a. railway porter
In enthusiastically stubborn fash.
ion b however, this Russian of Dutch de
sent continued to oppose Russian
fizns on conquest in Manchuria and
Ksrca With the same openness as In
ISIS when he declared himself
zsatnst tho proposal to seize Port
Arthur, or as in 1900. when he present.
ei ! menorand,im to the Car showing
1aiat the Russian course vas bound to
lead eventually to war with Japan,
o.: temporary withdrawal OF tie Rus.
sim forces from Manchnria, writing
20 The Gear as follows:
Instead Of making an enemy of ia.
pan we should win Ter friendship. !
afrangiy advise friendly solution.
re need to populate our Eastern prov.
Knees and have vital interests TO de-
lrrd in the eventual war with the vel.
IdH rice in order that the peasants OF
Russia may understand what they are
ughting for.
similar outspokenness character
frsd the new peace plenipotentiary
n The time of tie Kishineff massacres.
I dc denounced the instigators and CON
f1siors fine outrage. and boldly de-
rlared himself in favor Of more liberal
treatment of tie Jews. He has always
tesll a sturdy opposer of the reaction
srfes.
In 1901 he defeated for time the
Justification OF the Finnish army.
llzter, when the government proclaim
Z 81 state of siege at Kiev Kharkoy
gHd other university towns, and it was
fTuposed TO put st. Petersburg also
rrder martial law, Sergius Witte con-
rerted the Council to his way of think
fEg and decided the government to
Ifaae concessions to the students ami
s1set aside the harsh military regula-
xions by which hundreds of students
lad been drafted into the army to
rerve as privates.
Dnring his many years term of Of
zee Wltte accomplished what no Rus.
rtpa Finance Minister had yet done
&c unified and simplified his Govern
rent's finances, bringing order and
a-edit out of apparently hopeless cha.
By the attention lie paid to manu-
ehetaring and mining progress he not
zniy built up Russia's industrial repu.
11eon, but also built up new element
q society, which until then had CON
sisted principally of peasants and
princes.
Finally, Baron Witte succeeded in
aboiishing all private liquor shops in
RRssia, instituting instead q govern
mental monopoly of vodka. or Russian
Ehiskey, and establishing government
III stations for its sale. At the age
n SC Sergius Witte represents not
asly keen intellect and administra-
tive genius, but also ripe experience.
Such a man deserves well OF his
KIND. More than any other of his coun-
tsymen, he seemed fitted to obtain fair
Ash equitable terms for Russia in con
s-r-7rr with yfctorfous sIanar n ~ n