POBIEDONOSTZEFF

Gisborne Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1386, 22 February 1905, Page 2

POBIEDONOSTZEFF

OPINION [OF A SYDNEY RESIDENT

_ While on a mission in Russia in conneolion with the Stundist movement, Mr J. J. Neave, of Sydney, had an audience with the Procurator-General of the Holy Synod. M. Pobiedonostzeff is a very old man now, and in the course of things cannot live much longer. He is undoubtedly a religious bigot, but in one sense it is very [ difficult to estimate a man such as he. My own idea is that he is so steeped in .the religious,faith of generations with regard to the Divine right of the Emperor, as head of the Church and nation that his better and more enlightened self is kept in abeyance. Ido not suppose he has been oat of Russia, but he .is a well-read man, so that it is difficult to understand his dogged determination to put down everything that runs against the old order of things. I believe the emperor to be perfectly clean so far as the massacres of Sunday are concerned. I have the highest opinion of the Emperor and Empress as individuals, bat they are surrounded by a party who really go between the Emperor and and are determined at any cost to keep up the old practices and traditions of the Empire. It is a terrible state of things. When in Russia, Mr Bellows and I talked freely to some of the Ministers of btate, and one of them admitted that reforms for which the people were agitating would have to oome ; but, added he, •• I hope they won’t come in my day,’ What one longed for was that the Government would begin to give some reforms so far as religious matters were concerned, and I believe, so far as the present Emperor is concerned, he has done all he could. .. oce > 80 to speak, can move without the Emperor s permission, but practically he has to do what his influential Ministers dictate, and, unfortunately, the Procurator: General has held the reins of p owor sinoe the assassination of Alexander II If the Jife of Alexander 11. had been spared he would have carried out the re forms be had sanctioned, and was about to proclaim throughout Russia ; but un fortunately for that country, he was taken off, and persons like Pobiedonostzeff cams *°, ‘he front. I believe the present Czar fully intended carrying out the reforms mentioned by him in his address at his coronation, but bis Ministers subsequently gathered round him, and told him he could not do as he pleased, but was to carry 0 a the government of the country as in ' i±a ~ father’s days. It is a thousand ’! did not meet the populaco on' Sund&ftfi and, in my opinion he would have so, but was prevented. During our conversation with the Pro curator-General respecting the granting of" reforms in religions matters, his(Pobiedon stzefFs) only excuse for the position of affairs seemed to be that the Russian peo pie were not like the English pedpirz-Jthat they were ignorant and fanatical, would not do to entrust them wfiK the liberties the English enjoy. ' briefly was the position which tho .'ProcuratorGeneral took up with respect to our apl peal.” *