Omaha daily bee., 1917-04-02

payer possess on the average ABOUT One-tn1rQ OF
an acre; the Russian nobleman, who does not pay
taxes, possesses on an average some 128.
To put the case in another form: From every
384 loaves Of bread produced by the Russian agri-
culturist the noble land owner alone takes away
some 1888 loaves for himself, leaving one loaf for
the producer, from which the latter has yet to
devote part to satisfy the state or autocratic
tax collector.
In many instances, aside from the tax there is
an autocratic perquiste in kind; as, for example,
in the trapping Of sables. About every one in
memorial have been the property of the Ro-
manoff family, and may be worn in Russia by no
one else under severe penalty. Other penalties
are attached to attempts to export the black pelts.
Concerning the .autocratic power Of the car
and how it may be used independently of any
legislative functions of the Council of the En-
pre, or Duma, M. Prelooker has cited the fol-
lowing instances
AN action was brought against Princess
Imeretinsky by her late husbands heirs. The
princess privately petitioned his majesty to inter
vene on her behalf, and he ordered the plaintiffs
to be ,nonsuited, against the decision Of the law.
Similarly, in a case when the lula bank was
charged with the sale of the estates of bank
rupt to satisfy the claims of creditors, the car
nterfered, issued a personal order stopping the
sale and suspending the operation of the law
Again, in another case, some nobleman sold
his estate to a syndicate of merchants; the trans
action was properly carried out and legally rati-
fed. But Gar Nicholas III, by his autocratic
power, cancelled the deed of sale, and ordered the
property returned to the original owner, whose
only desire had been to obtain the use of the pur-
chase price for few months"
Nobody knows exactly the amount of the cars
enormous income. The expenditure of some of it
is traceable to certain public works whose bud
gets are matters Of public record and large part
"a tno IN he ohc rbedh 1,h I'D tto;r
dependents, who number about 5000, and are en-
tirely apart from the noble class, which has no
Romanof affiliations. According to M. Prelooker
the car takes" an annual salary of $l2,500000:
Il use the expression takes deliberately, for
there is no one, no law or institution in Russia
that could veto the assignment by the car to
himself of any sum he is pleased to name. Be-
sides this enormous revenue he derives yet an
other annual income from his private estates and
mines, the latter being worked by common and
political convicts"
According to the "Almanach Hachette," the
car enjoys an annual income OF $42, 100000, or
$85 every minute.
There is still another source of income which,
with the consent of the car, is more or less de-
voted to the support of his immediate family
This is from the Ronianof property of 680,938,-
927 acres, 100000 of which are at present
productive. This yields an annual revenue of
Sl0,000000. This sum goes for the support of the
grand dukes and duchesses, who number forty
six many of whom draw yet other incomes from
private sources, or from various posts occupied
in the army and navy, or in the general admin
istration of the bureaucracy-posts which, of
course, outside of the actual working depart
ments which extend from the ministries down to
the most insignificant official are mostly sine
cures.
The Russian autocracy has BEEN therefore, not
only political form Of government but tre-
mendousy paying business for the autocrat him
self and all his relations, near and remote.
The disposition of the properties of the Ro-
manoffs will naturally be one Of the first problems
for new government to solve, for the members
of that family, while abdcating all political rule,
may still, as individuals. claim that vast wealth as
their own.