The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-04-21
PRICE TWO CENTS.
MILITARY RULE IN RUSSIA.
TRYING TO Put DOUN L1ULESSNESs
BY SUSPENDINO L1U.

The Duel Hetween NihiIIsm aud DespotIsm-
TIE Empire virtually Placed Under Mar
tIai Law-Thrce orthe Military Governors.
ST. PETERSBURG, April 2O.--An official de-
cree is published appointing Professionally Gen.
Gourko Governor General Of st. Petersburg.
Gen. Todleben Governor General Of Odessa.
and Gen. Loris Melikoff Governor General OF
Charkoff. Gems. Todleben and Mclikofr will
command troops in their respective Governor
ships. It is believed that Gen. MclikofH will also
rule the adjoining Governments OF Poltava.
Tchernigoff. Kursk. and Orel.
LONDON April 20.-The Pail Man Gazette.
anti-Russan. commenting upon the ukase Of
the Car ordering the appointment OF Gov
nors-Genera for six districts OF Russia, says:
" That the foes Of authority are small. but de-
termined band of evil doers. ms described In
the ukase. is incredible. The Russian Govern
ment only condemn their own swccpingly op-
pressve measures by putting forward such a
prctence. We're this true. the ordinary powers
OF the State would have availed to root out the
evil; but It is far deeper and more widespread
than this account admits. and II II because tho
police themselves form one oi the Glasses among
which the revolutionary propaganda has been
ut work that the Cars advisers have felt the
need oil seeking new, more swift, and more
deadly instrument Tor the work OF repression.
The police having failed them, they are about
To resort to simple dragooning. Russia is vir-
tually placed under mar iai law aud that law is
10 be- adm inistcrrd in the most thorough and
mcrciless fashion: in such fashion, indeed. rs
must. unless we are To suppose half Of the pop
ulntion nre conspirators. infict the most cruel
injustice upon thousands Of innocent per-
sons Six military Officers nre to have
the right Of inprisoning for an in
definite time all suspicious persons.
many ms they choose and of executing, in con-
formity with sentence passed. those they may
happen To regard Hs especially guilty. Nor are
these powers coniin"d TO political criminals.
Regular criminal procedure apu"ars to have
been altogether suspendgd. Ordinary Offend
ers. not even suspected of pluttinl. against tho
state. are TO be made subject 10 martial law.
Moreover. the ukase Is retrospective. the
Governors General are expressly uncovered
TO try prisoners arrested before the ISSUE OF the
decr"e-a provision designed apparently 10 au-
thorize the holding Of II sort OF bloody nss ze
upon the persons s-variOusly estimated. accord
ing 10 the well-iutormed CORES -pondent Of tho
Standard Mt between five thousand and ten
in the mutinous districts. Unless the Car and
his Ministers ar" guilty oi the most sweeping
and reckless cruelty. they cnnnut believe them
selves confronted win small but determined,
baud OF evil docrs nor even with q large and
uetermlhsi oahd OF evit uorrr. II thelr uc-
count oi tue enemies oil tue state were IN any
degree like IN" truth. this suspension ~ Hll
law-'ths suppression OF the law hy the cuttht St
agents oi u lhwesS terrorsm-would -oe
simply infamous. or course, their ac-
| count OF the matter il not true one.
| The measures they have resolved upon mike
us aware Of what in their view. really is the
| enemy they have to combat. They subject a
great part Of the country To- q dragonndc which
II
are convinced that revolutionary dan ."rs con-
front them over the whole arru oi their intended
operations. The tremendous agencies Of sup-
press sion already in their hands have long sine
been known to have failed. and To have become.
| IN the persons OF large numbers OF the police
| themselves, agents or Weil-wishers or torrOr-
| ized unlookers OF the revolution. Nothing 10
| left for the Russian Government but resort 10
| the methods of the Asiatic drspOt. II they are
| 10 face the revolution and tratnple II down.
| And that they know this we SEQ when
| we look to that terr bic order under which tho
| iss are to be visited by the Emperor's own
| military terrorists, and thousands OF people
swept into them hy panc-stricken utli 'inllOm, to
| be dealt with on hund ut the drumhrnd. The
| wickedn"ss OF this II not less than the wicked
| ness of the assnssins who have so thoroughly
tcrrorizrd the imperial iumilynul their oilic"rs.
II thus ukHse is carried out We shall politi-
| cal assassination on the one side answered ny
political assuss luntion on the other: for one such
| crime on the one side q hundred on the other.
| nnd these last Inflicted on men and women in
| nO'eut ~ AT offence Whatever. II IL truly an
nwful state OF things nor is it possible to fOresee
| how 1t may end