76 ENGLAND AND EUSSIA IN OENTEAL ASIA.
Russian people will not consent to the continuance of
that outlay unless some ultimate reward — shoAvy or
substantial — is placed very tangibly before them.
With regard to the dispensation of justice, we find
that there is a law for the ruling and another for the
ruled. So long as it is a matter of litigation between two
persons, each equally a Russian subject, there is a civil
court, presided over by a Russian official, which decides
the dispute in accordance with the law of the empire.
And if the ruled quarrel inter se they are allowed to
decide the matter in dispute in their own courts and
before their own judges. But in all criminal cases the
Russian court exercises supreme jurisdiction ; while
for treason, murder, and other extreme offences there
is the military court, which is above all. In this court
cases are judged with military brevity and decision.
In former times the kazis, or local magistrates, were
appointed by the ruler ; but now the Russians have
lowered the old influence of these officials by deciding
that they were to be elected by the people. The kazi,
as an official created by their suffrage, lost all the
claims to respect which he could claim as a ruler over
them independent of their good will. Few Asiatics
have yet learnt to regard representatives chosen by
themselves as worthy of esteem and support. They
appreciate force and superior energy alone.
The amount which figures in the estimate under
the head of " Education " is, perhaps, the best proof
that Russia has done literally nothing for her subjects
in this matter. She has left them exactly as she found
them, under the influence of their unlettered mollahs,
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