New Britain herald., 1915-03-13
.RUSS|A'S FIRST PRIME
MINISTER IS DEAD
Count Witte Was P|eaIpotentiary
at Portsmouth, n. Il.

] LOnQOn, MaTCn I5, 90 "A. MI
| Count Sergius Julowich White, Rus
sia's first prime minister, died last
night, says Petrograd despatch to
| Reuters Telegram company.
| Count Whites death was due to in
| huenza.
Count Witte, who was born June
| 20, 1S49, at Tihis, was one of the Rus
sian plenipotentiaries at Portsmouth,
n. H., in the negotiations for peace
with Japan in 1905. He afterwards
was made a count and appointed
president of the new ministry, but re-
post after that time.
Sick One Week.
Count Witte was taken sick a week
ago.
Count White was regarded as in
some respects one of the most re-
markab1e men his country had pro-
duced but his reputation was even
greater abroad than at home. His
chief fame In Russia rests upon his
development Of manufacturing indus
tries, the expansion of railroads and
the placing of the monetary system
upon gold basis.
Although always a firm supporter
Of the monarchy, he recognized the
power of the people. On his fathers
side his family was of common origin,
but his mother was a descendant Of
the Ruriks, rulers of Russia before
the Romanoff dynasty attained power.
Minister of Railways.
After his graduation from the Uni
versity Of Odessa, White entered the
railroad service, advancement in
which he secured through his mas
terry of the question of tariff rates. In
the meantime he had married a sister
of General Fadieff. He first attracted
attention nationally during the Russo
Turkish war by the administrative ca
pacity he displayed in the movement
of army supplies. He went to Petro-
grad in 1879 and was given increas-
lngly responsible posts in the railroad
service. Alexander III appointed him
minister of railways and communica-
tons in 1892 and soon afterwards he
was made minister of finance 1t was
then that he began to develop his
great scheme for the creation of home
manufactures and the wide extension
OF Russia's railroad system which
eventually took the Siberian road to
the Pacific. In his efforts along these
lines Witte used every power of the
state.
subventions and government orders
aided factories and mills until thew
were running full blast The state
TOOK over the private railroads, guar
antee1ng the bonds. To do all this
he borrowed immense sums in Franco
Under the plea of regulating the LIQUOR
traffic he had the state take over tho
vodka business of the empire, provid-
ing great revenue His browning
achievement was regarded however. |
as the establishment, of the gold stand
ard. AS minister of finance in 1898
ne reached the height of his power.
Intrigues Against Him.
His policy in regard to Manchuria.
which he desired to develop only from
a commercial and not from a political
viewpoint, resulted in powerful in
tr1gues against him, which resulted in
his removal in 1908 as minister of fl
nance. He went for a time to Paris. !
but returned to Petrograd when the
war was in progress.
When President Roosevelt prevailed
upon the emperor to consider terms
OF peace, practically the entire ma
ton united in demanding the selec-
ton of Witte as plenipotentiary At
the Portsm outh conference he sue
ceeded in gaining terms under which
Russia was not obliged to pay a cash
indemnity to Japan. This achieve
ment made Witte again a hero to the
The emperor rewarded |
him for his services by making him
a count
Russia'S First Premier.
1t was shortly after the conclusion
of peace with Japan that the Rus
sian people began clamoring harder
than ever for a share in the govern
ment. When the imperial manifesto
was issued which granted some of the |
demands, White became premier in
Russia's first real cabinet, on October !
81, 1905. His appointment as pres |
ldent of the council of ministers was |
announced a week later The next
day he pledged himself to support the
plan for a convocation of the ma
tional assembly. Because of the op- |