Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-06
CHANGING CONDITIONS In RUSSIA

which fixed February 10 as the date TOT
the election OF deputies to
Serious the new imperial duma,
Conditions. invites attention to the
present situation in Rus
STA. The storms which have beaten upon
this unhappy country these late years have
been severe and persistent. Drouths, pesti-
lenee and famine, disastrous war, revolu-
ton and anarchy have filled the Russian
cup to overflow. Finally, as if these ca
lamities were insufficient, a cablegram Of
the Sd instant from Odessa reports ''enor-
nous loss of life and property wrought by
terrible billiards which are raging through
out southern Russia" Thus the elements
have Joined hands with political conditions
to destroy a nation formerly rated as the
greatest and most irresistible power in Eu-
rope and the far east the so-called Great
Colossus"
OF all the nations that maintain military
attaches at ST. Petersburg, 1t saould be re-
marked If for no other purpose than it may
prove salutary rebuke. that only those of
little Japan. rated as scarcely yet come to
the dignity Of a nation, appear to have dis
covered that the colossus was a hollow
sham and deceit which she might attack
with impunity.
But Russia is neither dead nor dying, and
this fact Is manifested in dispatch Of the
I'd instant from ST. Petersburg on the Ques-
ton Of Russian finances, which says:
1.-The new estimates do not contemplate
deficit in the budget of 1905, which fore
saw a deficit Of $79CO0,OO0. But this and
the Increased provision for famine relief
and other purposes during the year are
covered by an increase in the revenues over
the estimates which up to November IA
reached $102, 100000 and was steadily grow
ing"
6,oor5;no ~ NJ co,,,r, n tba papro
Hebdomadaire. or Weekly Review Of Paris,
for December 8, the year 1870 shows a
favorable aspect of the Russian financial
situation. In the first five months of the
year 1906 the receipts of the government
reached 873, 100000 rubles, an augmenta-
ton of 100000 rubles over the CORE
spending period Of 1905.
The flduciary circulation has remained
good In spite Of the formidable crisis of the
winter Of 1904-1905. The economical situa-
ton of Russia is likewise good, notwith-
standing all the political agitations. Dur
ing many months there have been no such
the year 1905. The year 1905 has not been
bad either from an economical point Of
view despite the tragic events which hap
pened.
France is the greatest creditor of Russia.
In a total Indebtedness of twenty-five mil
lizards she owes France ten
Debt to milliards of francs, whilst her
France. Indebtedness to Germany Is
something akin to four mil
lizards, enormous sums which have justified
alarm In Europe, although Russia's we'll
established disposition to pay her debts has
tended to restore confidence.
The government Of the car, in fact, is en-
tirely disposed to execute in good faith the
promises made for the establishment of
constitutional regime of order and reforms
and such Is the unalterable program of the
Stolypine ministry. The efforts Of govern
ment are directed now to the re-establish-
ment of order, the state of her finances con-
tributing largely to that end.
The duma. 1t Is pertinent to add is not
yet endowed with the full power of like
political institutions in England, France,
Belgium and other countries. The mani
festo of August 10, 1905, and the ukase Of
March %, 1905, limit it's powers very pre-
cisely. The credits of the ministry of the
court are not submitted to it II they do not
exceed the credits opened In the budget of
1906. Also, notifications in the credits con-
corning the imperial family. Such credits
are submitted to the council of the en-
pire and the duma only when they exceed
the credits opened. It Is incontestably
progress that the nation is permitted to
give Its assent or discuss the budget Of the
nation with reference to its general appro-
priations.
NJ. Leon Say defines budget In his Die
not to dispose of its public finances ex-
cept within the limits and under conditions
previously fixed" The Russian minister of
finances publishes each year on the 1st of
January a formidable document known as
the budget which Is submitted for discussion
by the general assembly of the empire and
for the sanction Of the emperor. The
document just published will hereafter, ac-
cording to the manifesto of August 10, 1905,
be submitted to the duma of the empire.
But whilst Russia Is moving slowly but
surely along the paths Of peace she is also
quietly but steadily reform
Military ing her army and navy. A
Reform. dispatch from Berlin dated
December Ii reports that
the Krupp works had received from the
Russian government an order for naval
material to the amount of $4,000, 1000
rubles. This is significant
corrupt bureaucracy Is the unfortu-
nate appanage of almost all governments
In Russia it had become an intolerable
tyranny which had fastened itself so tight
ly around government that the maddened
people resorted to violence to overthrow
it. The process has been slow, painful and
revolving, but day is breaking and the
signs of fair weather are now encourag-
ing.
When the duma was created with its i'm
mense revolutionary majority the Russian
government found itself in the most en-
barrassing situation and really threatened
with humiliation by the very force it had
imagined as remedy for the ills it suf-
fered. The situation, indeed, of the Russian
government may be aptly compared to that
of client who placed his desperate case
in the hands of a lawyer. Let the ad-
verse party act" said the man Of law HE
will perhaps open a way for u.s." The duma
rendered that service to the car.
Two policies presented themselves to the
duma: One, frankly revolutionary in refus-
ing to accept the fundamental laws, to pro-
claim the constitution and appeal to the