| Show FOUGHT HIS WAY TO POWER M witte was once an underpaid railway clerk st petersburg Pete isburg emperor nicholas has signed the appointment of aa M witte president ol of the committee of ministers to be chief plenipotentiary representing the russian government in the peace negotiations to be run conducted next month in the united states the appointment clothes al witte with plenary sergius witte the russian tent lary may inay be tegarden ded as the lead ing liberal statesman of for the lat last years he has been one of the strongest personalities in the russian bureaucracy although his political fortunes suffered a setback when hen bo be was compelled to resign the tha portfolio ot of minister of finance lit in au an gust 1903 and again when hen after be ing appointed president of the coun ell cil of in the same month his office gradually lost its importance until lemois of his intention to resign and go abroad had been persistently circulated witte Is about 56 years old and has steadily worked his way up tip from the por position of an underpaid railroad clerk cleric who occasionally acted a as a por per ter to that of the leading statesman of russia in spite of the tact fact that his enemies are numerous and include some borne of 0 the most moat powerful men in russia |
