The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-01-15
KOKOvTsEFF HIGH
IN CzAR'S FAVOR
Minister Of Finance Stands for
Best Reform Movements in
Russia.

tt DS1l iNS1Ci III lg
Russia.
" -----
IG r MD DUKE WRITES PLAY
Queen Victoria Of Sweden Dis,
pleases People ON Account
OF Her Stand for Ceremony.
Df ia MARIO DE F0NTENoy.
H nOpL,E interested in Russian af-
- ialrs Will do we'll to keep their
L eye on Minister OF Finance
kokovtsef. who for several
iecL OF all sorts of tokens of imperial
favor, but possesses Just now the ear
% Emperor TO "a greater degree
tnan any other Muscovite statesman in
ms return from Manchuria. where ho
mad jbeeli present at the assassination
OF prince Ito. the Gear. instead of ac-
cordlng to him one or two audiences,
see tsofsgthe ruler when summoned
from the capital to make their re.
ports, he was invited every day
his stay to luncheon and
to dinner, en- famille with the I'M
iperiai couple and their children; in
addition to which he accompanied
Nicholas in several of the l~atter's
long walks. Compared to this. the
reception accorded to Premier Stoly.
pin. to Minister Of Foreign Affaira
Izwolski and to Minister Of War
Suchomlinon at Livadia was distinctly
cool.
kokovtscn is a very remarkable
man., and is now occupying the post
OF minister nf finance for the second
time--a unique record. since usually
when ministers so out of office in
Russia their political career is at an
end. The chief lieutenant of Count
.NVitte. when the latter was at the
head OF the Muscovite treasury. he has
always been identified with the Lib
eral party. and Russia Is Indebted TO
liirn for every one of the reforms IN
penal legislation. in the organization
and In the management of IT'S pris-
ons, that have taken place during the
last quarter OF a century.
RUSSIAN prisons are still far from
America, but they are i~ncomparably
better to-day thar they were twenty
five years ago, and the management.
on theHwhole. is humane, any abuse
of maintaining honesty and discipline
among the officials charged with that
particular branch OF the government
administration
1t was in 1890 that Kokovtseff first
became identified with the Treasury
Department, and from that time forth
he has had a very active share in the
direction of the economic and financial!
policy of the empire. is acquainted
with the leading foreign bankers, and
money markets abroad that is supe-
rior eve to that of his former friend
and colleague. White. Ile is about
hfty-eight years of age. renowned both
az hnn,n and ahroaH for big fptnOrity
and sterling honesty, and has pos.
sessed in an altogether exceptional
degree the confidence n favor Of
three successive Emperors of Russia,
and the present occupant OF he
throne.
The title of minister of finance con-
veys but little idea of his power and
Yields a revenue to the treasury OF
no less than 100000, 900. is under his
control: the customs arc also under
his rule. and in connection herewith
he exercises supreme command over
the so-called Frontier Guards. a mill
tary corps specially enrolled for the
protection of the many thousands of
miles of Russian coast line and from
tier. All new railroad projects and
concessions have to be thoroughly In
v%estisated by him and to receive hrs
approval before being issued. while
the two great railroads of the Far
East. namely, the Transcaucasian and
the Transiberian lines. are entirely
under his direction, Still another re-
sponsibility resting. on his shoulders
is that of sanctioning the loans con-
the municipalities of the various
towns and cities. No city can borrow
without his consent, and once that is
given, the Dan Is virtually guaranteed
by the state. Kokovtsef denies that
Ifha RnSstan - pDVernmant needs 4nV
money from foreign money markets.
but. OF co,rSse. welcomes the invasion
of foreign capital. especially American
and English. for gold mining. rail-
iterprises.
Royal Playwright.
"E. Mann" which figures on the
entitled "Bonifacius," which has just
been very successful at the court
theatre at Darmstadt, conceals the
Identity OF Grand Duke Ernest OF
Hesse. who is the playwright. The
action Of the play takes place in the
eighth century. in a ~TeutoniG. forest,
Christianity Of the old Germanie
tribes through the illustrations OF s..
Bonifaclus.
While there are a number OF princes
of the blood who have figured as
iplaywrights under assumed names.
notably tho late Prince George of
Prussia. Grand Duk Constantine OF
Russia II the late Duke Elimar OF
1O~ldenburg, the ruler of Hesse Is the
only sovereign now reigning to have
offered a, play Of his avn making ~ for :
credited with having written a play.
but It was never STAGED, while a.
have collaborated in the writing OF
two or three historical dramas he has
left all the laurels and the kudos OF
authorship. to his associates. The
Grand Duke Of Hesse is devoted to
literary and artistic pursuits-too much
so. indeed, to please his former wife,
the dashing and brilliant Princess
Victoria Mellta of England and Co
burg, who since her divorce has be-
come the wife of her cousin. Grand
Duke Cyril of Russia.
Leopold's Claim ia France.
papers have called atte1fion in their
obituaries Of King Leopold to the fact
that at one time Napoleon III. was
bent upon the Incorporation OF a por-
ton Of Belgium into the French n
,,;,a Io;nor willing tO ~relinUulSh the