WITTE, V11'16, SERGEI YCLIEVITCII (1S40—). A Pdissian statesman. He was born at Tiflis, where his father, of German extraction, was an official. His mother was a daughter of Fadeyeff, Governor of..'ilrator. who married into one of the oldest Russian noble families. Witte was edu cated at the New Russian University, Odessa, in physical science and mathematics. He engaged in journalism, in 1877 entered the railway service. and during the Russo-Turkish War (1877-7S) distinguished himself in managing the transportation of troops on the Odessa Rail way. In 1879 he was called to Saint Petersburg and appointed to an executive position on the Southwestern Railway. He was a member of Baranotrs imperial railway commission, and wrote in part the history of its proceedings. In 1883 he published Principles of Railway Tariffs. In 1886 he became director of the Southwestern Railway, and in 1S8S, through Finance Minister Vishnegradski. chief of the Imperial Railway De partment and president of the tariff commission. He was appointed Alinister of Comniunications in 1S92 and soon afterwards succeeded Vishne gradski as Minister of Finance. He held this
important position until 1903. As Finance Min ister he promoted industrial development, favored protection of home industries. introduced the gold standard. and established Government mon opoly of the sale of alcohol. Witte increased the revenue and negotiated large loans abroad, par ticularly in France. These were used partly for railway extension, especially trans-Siberian. He concluded important commercial treaties, par ticularly with Germany and Austria-Hungary. In his economic policy he was influenced by the views of the German economist Friedrich List, on whom Witte published an essay in 1883. In 1903 he was appointed president of the Commit tee of Ministers and a member of the Council of the Empire. It was not understood at the time whether this was a real promotion or, by ex change of actual power for nominal honors, a victory for his reactionary opponents. Witte was regarded by many as the most competent states man in Russia.