New-York tribune., 1909-05-16
HR. RFOLYPIN'S STATUS.

The reaCtionary conspiracy against Mr.. Stoly-
pin appears TO have failed. The Prime Minister
remains in his place and retains the favor and
confidence of the Car. and heavy fines have
been imposed upon some of the newspaper or
gans of his foes for their savage attacks upon
him. Moreover the Car has signed the i'm
perial rescript which Mr. Stolypin drafted and
over which much of the storm arose. Also, the
Douma remains in existence. How long this
state of affairs will last is. of course, prob
lematic. Mr.. Durnovo, Count Wltte and the
other reactionaries-fOr Count Witte, who once
urged the Gar TO grant liberal constitution is
now an utra-reactiOnary-wi doubtless con
tnue their efforts to overthrow Mr.. Stolypin,
though probably In some other way. But we
should think that there ought TO he a reasonable
degree of security against any ministerial crisis
until after the Cars forthcoming visit To the
French President. 1t would bee most unpropi-
tlOus TO have that interesting and important
visit preceded by reactidnary crisis in Russia.
The chief specific item in the indictment which
Mr.. Durnovo and Count Witte brought against
( Mr.. Stolypin was that he had sanctioned the
Doumas proposals and estimates for the crea
ton Of general staff for the navy. The DOumR
took that action Of course. because 1t thought It
would not he fitting prudent 10 intrust the
costly rebuilding Of the navy to the old gang OF
corruptionsts which had maladminsteTed its
affairs before and during the japanese War.
The nouma ready TO vote money for new
navy but it wanted to make sure that the money
! would be properly used But Mr. Stolypin's
enemies raised the cry that the proposal for
general staff was an infringement of the pre-
negatives Of the Gar, as set forth In the funda
mental laws Of the empire. Article IA Of those
laws does. indeed, declare the Gar 60 he the
commander in chief of the land and forces
Of the empire and 10 have the determination Of
all matters relating to their organization. But
ii is by no means clear that the creation of
general staff would violate the letter or the
spirit of thar law, any more than It violates the
law Of Germany or OF any other land where the
chief Of state is commander in chief and yet
where Il general staff exists.
That was however, mere pretext. In add,
tion, the reactiouaries made vague accusations
that Mr.. StolyPn was undermining the mon
archical system and opening the way for a re
public, and that lie was encouraging the sepa-
ratist or autonomist tendencies OF various parts
of the empire, and thus making toward n federal
system As a matter of fact, Mr. Stolypin has
shown himself one of the most active and effec-
tive opponents of democracy in Russia, as wit
ness the provisions which he inserted into the
electoral law for the election of the present
Douma. which went to the very extreme of pye-
venting a democratic triumph in that body. A
for separatism and federalism. few ministers in
recent times have done half as much as he for
the repression of Poland and for the insidious
undermining Of the few remaining liberties Of
Finland. An impartial observer would cTiticise
Mr. StOypin for being too reactionary. rather
than for inClining toward radicaliSm. Perhaps
# is in a measure because of that very fact. and
because Of their consequent jealousy of his con
seryatve leadership, thar Mr.. Durnovo and
Count Witte are bitterly hostile to him.
Lovers Of liberty may have little cause for graft
tude to Mr.. Stoypin, but at least they may pre-
fer TO Him remain in office rather than to
have him replaced by any of those who have
been conspiring so disingenuousy against him