Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-03-13

GAINS TITLE THRU
PEACE SETTLEMENT
Diplomacy Saved Russia From Hun,ii.
iation and Payment Of Large lndsn,.
nifty to Japan-Attalnsd Fame 40
Cabinet Minister eseauss o. knowi.
edge Of Railroads and Finance
Many Reforms Of Government.

London, March 13-Count sergius
Julovich Witte. Russia's first prime
minister, died last night. says Petro-
dispatch.
Count Whites death was due to In
huenza.
Count Witte, who was born June 29.
1S49, at Tiflis, was one of the Russian
plenipotentiaries at Portsmouth, N. H..
in the negotiations for peace with
Japan in 1905. Later, he was made q
count and appointed president Of the
new ministry. but retired in 1906.
Most Remarkable Russian.
Count Witte was regarded in some
respects the most remarkable man his
country has produced, but his reputa-
ton was even greater abroad than at
home. He had many and powerful en-
emies. altho his great ability and re-
markable capacity for work never were
questioned. Regardless Of his work as
a statesman, his chief fame rests on
the expansion Of railroads and the
placing Of the monetary system on q
gold basis.
He had democratic tendencies. On
his fathers side his family was Of
common origin. but his mother was a
descendant Of the Rurihs, the old rulers
of Russia before the election OF the
Romanon dynasty.
Railroad Rate Expert.
After his graduation from the Uni-
versity Of Odessa, Witte entered the
railroad service in the shipping depart
ment. He mastered the question Of
tariff rates and his advancement was
rapid In the meantime he married a
sister Of General Fadien. He first at
!stracted attenttonNat the capital during
/ the Russo Turkish war by the admin
| istrattve2 capacity he displayed in nov
ing supplies. He went to Petrograd in
1879 and was given Increasingly re-
sponsible posts in railroad service.
Alexander III appointed him minister
Of railways and communications In
1892 and~soon afterward minister Of
finance It was then that he began to
develop his great scheme for the cre-
alton Of home manufactures and the
wide extension Of Russfa's railway sys-
tenn.
inausuratss Government Ownership.
In his efforts along these lines. Witte
used every power Of the state. He gave
subventions and government orders un-
til factories and mills were running
full blast. Then he had the state take
over the private railroads. To do all
! this he borrowed immense sums in
France. Under the plea Of regulating
the liquor traffic. he had the state take
over the vodka business, thus increas-
ing the governments revenue.
His crowning achievement was the
establishment of the gold standard.
Manchurian Policy Antasonized.
His policy in regard to Manchuria,
which he desired to develop only from
commercial and not from political
viewpoint. resulted in powerful In
trigues against him, which resulted in
his removal In 1903 as minister Of n
nance. He went to Paris but returned
to Petrograd during the Russo-Jap-
anese war. He neither offered nor
was asked for advice in regard to the
conduct Of the struggle, but when
Theodore Roosevelt prevailed upon the
emperor to consider terms Of peace. the
ftide turned and the entire nation
united in demanding that Wttte repre-
sent the government.
Again Becomes Hero.
At Portsmouth he succeeded in get
ting terms by which Russia was not
Obliged to pay cash in indemnity, and
witte again became hero in his own
country. The emperor rewarded him
for his services by appointing him q
count. When the imperial manifesto
was issued which granted some OF the
demands of the people for freer gov-
ernment, Witte became premier in 1905.
His appointment as president Of the
council Of ministers soon followed. Be-
cause Of the opposition Of the powerful
interests opposed to democratic re-
forms he experienced difficulty in
| forming q cabinet. The liberals re-
fused to lift q finger to aid him. At the
second session Of his cabinet project
was considered for placing tho council
/ or empire 1ll al ei!eccss!!"e ha s.s ~
| I. Avsrts Crisis.
This was difficult period In the In
ternal history of Russia. There were
serious labor troubles in all sections Of
| the country Threats OF the Poles to
lbegin q rebellion led the emperor to de-
clare martial law in Poland. Reports
were current that Witte had been con-
ldemned to death by the aEarchists. On
NOV. 16, the premier made q personal
appeal to workmen to return to their
duties, but his efforts had no immedi-
ate effort and the workmen's council
Ibroke negotiations with him two day5
llater. On Nov. 10, however, the council
ldecided to end the strike. "a.
Rstirss From Public Life.
His enemies increased and the de-
mand for his removal gained stSsugtA.
Dissatisaed and feeling 1t was bayoa0