The Glenwood post., 1914-08-15

- oAOrD0us influence In the peaaant
villages One could say: The car has
close 70 him q peasant. = man Of the
people. with whom he takes counsel.
II Rasputin did have a share in coun-
selling this decree, this is about the
oaly act Of his that deserves COM
0eAAation.
aAspstta has been an important in
ooAoes n Russian politics. He repre-
esots n interesting fact. The prerog-
eavs Of the Russian car has beea to
eae~Fe his advice from uno0eial -
ven - o6cial councillors. The con
GtAot ssoossss To unoAcial advisers,
especially sines the moro definite or
eAaisation Of . cabinet Of Minister,
would ssen to be on the authority Of
tAo sovereign himself.
1DS present car has been calling
u e1tsiders to 4 very large measure.
DesAaDs with this very idea in mind.
He has done this especially since he as
s9ned more control over the details
OF adninistfation. since he has in fact
tsssd TO be his own prime minister
But he has shown poor judgment in
n0 chOico Of advise RS
Nss Had DiHheuit Reign.
The present car has had a difficult
reign. 1t started most inauspiciously
With the frightful accident that at
tended his coronation. Through the
cafelessness of his omcials hundreds
ef peasants and workmsn who hocked
to celebrate the occasion were crushed
to death on the field vhsre they wsrs
GetAsred to receive the gifts that were
TO b distributed.
Al he very beginning Of his reign
- antasonised large section Of his
people. Members Of local provineaal
sesncils petitioned hat Deovision b
nAAs By which the voioo Of the peo-
PIE could more surely reach the SOW
sesagn. shut in a. they believed him 70
b By . wall Of bursascrats. They
were told, when their delegation ~
csdved . personal reception by the
car, TO drop these "senselsss dreams" !"
Some persons seem to have the fac-
Guilty OF needlessly antagonizing. In
many case an extreme timidity would
seem to account for what sppears to
be futile tactlessness. The present
cxar Is very umid and difldent. He
always reads from notes when hs has
to make an important pronouncemsnt
CAREFUL With HE MaatfssAss.
The cars manifestos are always
carefully prepared oAeial documents.
They show the penmarks Of the chan.
Gallery. And a. he bssa noted, the
csar has seldom made . spontaneous
utterance Of important political con-
tent. His speeches are written out
and read by him with the paper in
hand. But one document has come
down to the student Of Russian his
tory which gives valuable material On
this question Of the personality and
character Of the csar.
In 1905. after the car had promised
- Institute . duma, he called . coofer-
eAce at the palace, to which he invited
Dot only his ministers. but membsrs Of
~ imperial family. members Of Tie
imperial coancil-then . consultative
6ody-and several outsiders, including
he great Russian historian. Klyuchev.
sky. The car presided over the mest-
ings Of this conference In person.
The conference was secret, but q
stenographic report of the discussions
was made and printed. and distributed
to the members. At last one member
was indiscreet, and q copy Of this re-
port got into the hands Of q German
publisher. The document 10 now &C.
cessible to the public.
showed Keen Insight.
The car asked the members Of the
conference to speak out their minds
without reserve. and they did So The
most important point of discussion
was how to organize the new duma in
such Q way as not to limit the author-
ity Of the autocratic sovereign.
At that moment 1t was intended that
the duma have only . consultative
voice in legislation. The Gear listened
to the various opinions expressed, -
point after point was discussed, and
often by. single word determined
which view should prevail. Only at
one time did he make . statement Of
any length. and that speech was sx-
tremely short His judgment In de-
edding which view ON . given point
should become law showed . keener
insight into problems Of statesman
ship than he has generally been cred
TIED with abroad. But the initiative
ID not come from him.