The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-03-01
DRUNKENNESS BASIS
OF RUSSIA'S POWER
Government Gets $500. 200. 900
aYear From the Sale
Of Vodka.
GEAR FORCED TO ACT
Personal Witness Of Degrade
ton, Ruler Decides on
Radical Changes.
Special Correspondence 70 TIT srS.

LONDON Feb. 20.--Dr r. J. Dillon. the
famous correspondent OF the London
Daily Telegraph. In the course OF long
letter from St Petersburg ascribes the
direct Intervention OF the Car In the
changes In per>pnnel now taking place in
the present Government crisis TO the effect
upon the sovereign Of the spectacle OF the
material squalor and moral degradation
caused by the drunkenness which he be-
held during his journey through the Rus
Sian provinces.
The Emperor's impressions on the
spot says Or. Dillon. were deepened by
statistics laid before the Council Of the
empire by Count Witte. who, although
himself the creator OF the Government
monopoly OF alcohol. inveighed against
the spread OF intemperance which, he al
legged. Is TO be ascribed to the abuses
which have been allowed to creep into
the system"
Count Whites Statement, is that when
he quit the Finance Ministry the Russian
Government received from the consump-
ton OF vodka $3.50 900, 900 "A year. whereas
to-day 1t receives s500.ooO.0O0. and his
contention Is that no Christian State
should he dependent for It's existence upon
the spread OF drunkenness among its sub
jects. This view IL adopted by the Car
is his rescript to the new Finance Minis
ter.
Ala to Monarchism.
THE Cars publicly announced resolve
not to tolerate this condition OF things
any longer" says DR.. Dillon, has pro-
duced most favorable impression
throughout the country and has cons!d-
erably increased the prestige of monarch
ism In Russia. He has enjoined the new
Minister Of Finance to reorganze the en-
I tire system and enable the Government
not only to refuse to depend upon ma
tional intemperance as a recognized source
OF revenue. but to adopt efficacious means
! OF extirpating this vice and 20 afford
the peasantry the opportunity OF display
Ing the high qualities OF mind and body
/ that characterize them
DR.. Dillon points out how arduous Ii
| the task set to the new Finance Minister.
NJ. Bark. by the Car saying:
THE task OF substituting other taxes for
a considerable portion Of the hundred
millions sterling which the consumption
OF alcohol now brings In Is formida BILE
! In itself and the difficulties will be inten-
sified by the utter lack OF scope for con-
structive energy. should such energy be
discovered among the new men. The
strata Of the old financial system are
| clogged by the results Of use and won't
and by the vested interests and as yet
nobody knows how to begin the work
Of transformation.
''rhe financial policy which lasted 50
long and gave such lucrative results ID
now felt to be a Prince Ruperts drop
q ball Of unannealed glass which. X this
one part be severed. will break up in its
entirety and must be remade. Many
competent judges hold, therefore, that
the changes in the personnel OF the Gov
eminent are and will for some time remair
the embodiment In action OF an inchoate
v-tt dn4t dA
= rum but the entire nation In grateful
, TO the Car for his splendid initiative"
Was No Fear Of Rev-nue.
; The Nopoe Vremya considers that NJ
} Bark will have no great difficulty II
getting the necessary revenue if the pro
ductivity of national labor and the pro
ductive power Of the country general!
| are raised as required by the Gear.
, AT present." 1t says, the average an
nual income per head OF the Russian
+. people In not more than about sixty rubie
, (s30), and with this they manage to con
/ tribute to the State exchequer more thai
900. 900, 900 rubles (sl. 500. 900, 000). The.
] spend nearly 1000, 100000 rubles N500,
OOv, OOO) on drink for the benefit Of tn
Government treasury. while the entir
a sum expended on education by the Gov
n eminent and local bodies combined Ia les
{ than third Of that amount.
illicit tramc IN spirus ana drinkin
o on the streets, which distinguish thu
n Russian towns, including the capital, iron
4 all foreign cities, has frightfully In
:" creased"
!. A recent report by the Governor O
4 Ct. Petersburg Province described tn
/" alarming spread OF drunkenness and hooll
: sanism In the surrounding villages. Eve
y school girls In some places are reporte
= to have taken to drinking. The Presiden
4 Of the State Council In opening the dis
!, cussion on the bill dealing with this ~