Russian newspapers are full of biographical and character sketches of the new Premier. The "Birjevaya Vyedemost" (Bourse Gazette) of Petrograd, whose views are considered moderate, writes The new President of the Council of Ministers, M. B. V. Sturmer, considered one of the strongest and brightest figures among Petrograd bureaucrats, M. Sturmer began his career in the Senate, where he found employment in the department of the Master of Ceremonies, but where, during the first period his service carried no responsibility which could open for him the road to a brilliant public career. In 1878 he was appointed to the office of chief procurator of the Senate. Soon after this he was transferred to the service of the Imperial Court Ministry, where for I4years he directed the Ceremonial Department. During this period M. Sturmer interested himself in public affairs and more especially in country-states' business and activities. He was elected representative of the canton districts of Biejets! and Kashinsky in the Tverskoi Government. Zemstvo Council, but this period of his public life M. Sturmer did not disclose his poli cal views, It was in this district that his estate was situated.
Tu 1891 as no candidate for the post of president of the Zemstvo administration was elected, the major portion of the ''members of the Zemstvo, irrespecti of their political views, invited M. Sturmer to become their president, as he was considered to belong to no political group, but for family reasons M. Sturmer at first declined to accept this office, though afterwards, on being unanimously selected, he accepted this honour. Once placed at the head of the Administration, M. Sturmer avoided all sharp, unsmooth roads and conducted Zemstvo work in a manner similar to that adopted by his predecessors, The activity of M. Sturmer in this post attracted the attention of the Government and in 1894 he was selected Governor of Novgorod.
It was at this period that began his association with M. Plehve, the future Minister of the Interior, which was soon developed into the close friendship that Insted until the death of the latter.
In 1902]
'M. Sturmer was summoned to}
Petrograd, where he was offered the office of Director of the Department of Public Works of the Home Ministry. In this position Sturmer displayed much firmness, but, though he played a prominent part under Sipyagin, it was under
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.