The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1914-08-13

5.-s
close to him q peasant, man OF the
people, with whom he takes counsel
If Rasputin did have share in coun'
selling this decree, this is about the
only act of his that deserves COM
mendation.
Rasputin has been an important In
fuence in Russian politics. He repre-
sents an interesting fact. The prerog'
alive of the Russian car has been to
secure his advice from unofficial as
well as official counsellors. The con-
slant recourse to unofficial advisers,
especially since the more definite or
ganization of a cabinet Of ministers,
would seem to be on the authority OF
the sovereign himself.
The present cZar has been calling
in outsiders to a very large measure,
perhaps with this very idea in mind.
He has done-this especially since he as
sumed more control over the details
of administration, since he has in fact
tried to be his own prime minister.
But he has shown poor Judgment in
his choice Of advisers.
Has Had Difficult Reign.
The present car has had difficult
reign. 1t started most inauspiciously
with the frightful accident that at
tended his coronation. Through the
carelessness Of his officials hundreds
of peasants and workmen who fiocked
to celebrate the occasion were crushed
to death on the field where they were
gathered to receive the gifts that were
to be distributed.
At the very beginning Of his reign
he antagonized large section of his
people. Members Of local provincial
councils petitioned that provision be
made by which the voice of the peo-
pie could more surely reach the SOW
ereign, shut in as they believed him to
be by a wall of bureaucrats. They
were told, when their delegation re-
ceived personal reception by the
car, to drop these "senseless dreams"
Some persons seem to have the fac
Guilty of needlessly antagoniz1ng. In
many case an extreme timidity would
seem to account for what appears to
car is very timid and diffldent He
always reads from notes when he has
to make an important announcement.
Careful With His Manifestos.
The cars manifestos are always
carefully prepared official documents.
They show the penmarks of the chan
celery. And as he been noted, the
czar has seldom made a 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 car.
IN 1905, after the car had promised
to institute duma, he called a confer
ence at the palace, to which he invited
not only his ministers, but members Of
the imperial family, members Of the
imperial council-then a consultative
body-and several outsiders, including
the gVat Russian historian, Klyuchev-
sky. The car presided>over the meet
ings of this conference in person.
The conference was secret, but a
report of the discussions
was made and printed, and distributed
to the members. At last one member
was 1ndiscreet, and a copy of this re-
port got into the hands of a German
publisher. The document is now &C.
cessible to the public.
Showed Keen Insight.
The czar 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 a way as not to limit the author
ity Of the autocratic sovereign.
At that moment it was intended that
the duma have only a consultative
voice in legislation. The car listened
to the various opinions expressed, as
point after point was discussed, and
often by a single word determined
which view should prevail Only at
one time did he make a statement of
any length, and that speech was ex.
tremely short. His judgment in de.
Gliding which view on a given point
should become law showed a keener
insight into problems of statesman
ship than he has generally been cred
tied with abroad But the initiative
did not come from him.