The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1915-04-01

which revolutionized the art of
book making so rapidly that within
fifty years Venice alone had two
hundred presses printing books.
Peter the Great introduced into
Russia some of the western modes
of dress and various handicrafts, and
Catherine II did her best to intro
duce and encourage modern learn
ing, but as rule, anything coming
from the west was scorned.
The ideals which satisfied the
people in the early period of nation
al existence have proved in modern
times inadequate to the needs of
the educated and cultured in Russia
in not yielding scope for her intel
lectual development. The autocratic
spirit of the ruling classes, is main
tanning its powers, still resorts to
administrative police methods in
which the police is VIGOROUSLY cor
rupt and cruel, inficting punish.
ment without trial, anG through
censorship of the press and suppress
sion of public speech throttles and
rules the expression of the people.
Altho numerous colleges and uni
versities have been established since
the sixties, the government has sup
pressed free and liberal thought In
these institutions Of learning and
imposed severe restriction and pen
alties upon the offenders. In their
courses of study the classes occupy
a prominent part while science is
discouraged. All this has made it
very difficult for the liberal party to
reach the great masses. From 1872
to 1875 few thousand propagan-
dists, educated men and women, took
up the task of organizing the COM
mon people. They went out in the
country, disguised, to inspire the
people with more advanced views.
but the task was too great; themove-
ment failed. 1t only served to in
crease the Siberian exile colonies.
Thus it is difficult to avoid a con-
clusion that in a social, as we'll as
material aspect, Russia is still living
in it's early youth.
Russia has produced few states
men who could look far into the
future, and still fewer who had the
strength to do what they saw need-
ed to be done. Among these few the
most useful man the country has
had was Count Serguis Witte, who
died about month ago. His was
the difficult task Of carrying out a
liberal policy and holding his posi-
ton in the royal household at the
same time. In the face of bitterest
opposition, and always struggling
against reactionary influence of
every sort, he kept bravely to his
task of making his country econom-
lcally modern nation. Through
his efforts the great railway system
was built, many industries intro
duced and the monetary system es-
tablished upon a gold basis. His
success in shaping Russia's policy
to some extent will encourage others
who have the vision of a New
Russia" to continue in their labor
and sacrifice until Justice exalteth
the nation
Thus we see signs of change
taking place in the policies of the
Russian government. Heretofore the
policy has been to place the inter-
est of the state above that of the in
divldual. When building a railroad
the question was, how will it effect
the government" rather than, how
badly do the people need it,. Its
attitude toward the Vodka question
also illustrates this. III spite of the
destroying effect upon the people
the manufacture and sale of Vodka
has been a government monopoly,
until lately, whereby the government
derived in 1913 a revenue of eight
| hundred million roubles, or over
S1OO 000 000 Now aincp tho nae Of