PACIFICATION OF RUSSIA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13647, 15 January 1908, Page 7

PACIFICATION OF RUSSIA.

STOLYPIN HONOURED. By Telegraph.—Press Association.—Copyright. (Received January 14, 9.53 p.m.) St. Petersburg, January 14. In view of services ensuring what the rescript describes as ''the undoubted pacification of the country" M. Stolypin, the Premier, has been promoted to the office of State Secretary of the Tsar.

M. Stolypin has been described as a wellmeaning, enlightened, and courageous bureaucrat, but still a Russian bureaucrat to the core. When three or four years ago Governor of Saratoff, Stolypin did not use bullets against the unarmed crowds of peasants during agrarian disorders. In such cases, arriving on the spot with the military, he would throw himself, also unarmed, into the crowd, and, swearing lustily, would seize the ringleaders and order the rest to secure them. His audacity acted like magic' The crowd, tamed and bewildered, would obey his behest. Then the bureaucrat showed himself. With increasing oaths he would threaten the rioters with most terrible penalties until the whole crowd was upon its knees begging mercy of the conqueror. His methods since his elevation to the Premiership have been the same.