CONCERNING RUSSIANS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 59, 3 May 1907, Page 4

CONCERNING RUSSIANS.

Mr David Kramer, who lias Ihmmi jonrncyiim ill L'eiural Asia, sends t!ie Timi-s nf India some interesting notes from A*tal>;iil. in Jvu —lan Turk(\-.t;iu. lnei-d-'ntaflv he p'lal s how the troops 'in this frontier regarded the Husao.r:i|iauese war. The common o|iinion, he says, that the defeat by the .lap.iu-e-e was really inllie.ed on a rascally and idiotic Government, and not on the nation as a whole. "They ask me," says Mr I'Vaser, "how I account.'d for the Japanese heating them, and 1 said the general opinion was that they were ill-prepared and a; compared with the Japanese. That (rave them a chance to cur-; the Government, which they nil did freely, openly and with marked emphasis. This [ thought, surprising, for at least half were Government officials, one being an armv oilicer. Evidently there was no fear among them of Siberia, while it was clear" that all sided with the revolution. Yet they said there was no active revolutionary spirit in Central Asia among the civil population, though they were not prepared to >ay the same with regard to the troops." Conversing with the Aska;'iad Uussians Mr I'raser found them all of one mind concerning the corrupt nature of the administration. He asked. ! for example, when the railway was likely to be carried from Andijan to (Hi, a distance of thirty miles, and was told at once that the money had been voted, but that the officials hnd divided amongst themselves. It is invariably taken for granted that in public works and in contracts for Government supplies the responsible officials will appropriate a substantial commission. Sir Fraser's view is that the Russian is not inferior to any other European in intellect or capacity, but that he is sadly behind the times, both in business an I in morality. This fact, he declares, was apparent in Manchuria, where it accounted for the success of the enterprising Japanese, and it is apparent everywhere in Central Asia. Promptness and reliability are characteristics of the public services of most civilised nations, but in Russia one cannot be sure that the trains will run 'to time, the mails may be forwarded, or that telegrams wili be transmitted without delay. And it is certainly not possible to be conlident of the general probity of officials.