OFFICIAL MISRULE 489 



been embezzled by the local officials. The administrative 

 staff was cashiered in a body, but the result was un- 

 satisfactory in the extreme. Formerly the railway was 

 managed by corrupt and dishonest men who had at least 

 the merit of knowing something of their business. After 

 the change, the railway was managed by corrupt and 

 dishonest men who knew nothing of their business. 



There is, perhaps, scarcely anything in the whole range 

 of Russian social politics more hopeless than this universal 

 official corruption. Half the Nihilism in Russia may be 

 traced to this source. The Russian official is very 

 impartial in the selection of his victims. He plunders the 

 Government, he plunders the people, and he plunders his 

 fellow officials ; but this is not all, his worst feature is that 

 he helps the rich to plunder the poor. If by any chance 

 an honest official is placed in any position of trust and 

 tries to act justly, the rich merchants of the district com- 

 bine together, and move heaven and earth to have him 

 displaced, so that their own petty schemes of plunder 

 may be renewed. 



The cause of this corruption is not difficult to trace. 

 In a nation so recently emancipated from serfdom a high 

 standard of honour cannot be expected. All oriental 

 nations are corrupt, not because they are oriental, but 

 because they are governed more or less despotically. 

 Theft and falsehood are the natural resources of slaves. 

 It is only the free man who can afford to be honest, and 

 to tell the truth. It is unreasonable to expect a sense of 

 honour in the bureaucracy of any country unless it is 

 supported by public opinion. Russia is passing through 

 a stage which all nations have had to pass through, or 

 will have to pass through — an intermediate stage between 

 serfdom and freedom. Serfdom has been abolished by 

 the decree of the late Emperor, but the vices of serfdom 



