The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-01-26
TIE EMPIRE OF Discomfort.
A RUSSIAN SIHILIST"S BOLD PICTURE
or TIfE HOLY CZtRDOMv


ut the "s"r Alexander by IA Crnsy Hoy
The Inp"isitio" or the Nineteenth Century.
Prom Ne North A.aeronn Ii,r,-o
That the present state " Russia Is most
dep. radio IN "a plain fact, which ia beyond
doubt and discussion. The Rus sian prcss itsnlf
freely admits It. Kussin has become an en-
Itrc Of thr Il econtrutrdi' exclaimed the cple-
frntcd kdtkon. in his Moscow Gdzetie. shortly
after the war and this expression has been
r,hOrd los the whole public opinion in Russiu
aud given - theme to all the press. Renewing
The ahomihahlc cases Of corruption which tho
hst war las die'los"d. the y. Pctcrsburg Nc,cs
Gays IN "a recent ltAuV. " Tho moral standard
ct our society seems to have sunk 20 low that We
nave utterly lost tho faculty OF DISTINGUISHING
right rom wrong. honor from hascn, ~ patriot
ism from cgot SUI. In almost every reprcscn.
Mtivc OF our on inl spheres We are bed to sur-
pect rascal and thief We disirust each
other. W. believe 10 more in OurselNps. uI
honest principles seem to have nrcomG an
empty phrase. and cold skppticism in all
things not pertaining directly to our personal
Interests seems to have taken hold IT the whole
r. H." Moray Ir,tnJd tNgw TimrD the leading
r. Petersburg papcr What time we are nv-
disclosures on All sides we are sutrouutlfl with
tasrais WHO have long ago lost all scns~,d thor
moral d'nUsrmcnt In THIS pesiiicrpus ntnos-
lh"rr honest hearts lose ihcir energy. gradu-
ally sink lower and lower. or are crushed In
frutlcrs attempts 70 shake on the CURSE living
i1ltion drawn 10y the russian press. Muzzlrd
~ It is 10y barharous censorship. ii can GER
nniy not bee suspected of cNaggcration il We
add To thus picture financial exhaustion and
utter impoveriHhmrnt of the laboriug classes
caused 6y nm rNorbitant and disproportionnte
taxation, we shall convey to the reader a fair
idea OF the terrible crisis through which Russia
II now passing and eNo ludc the suspicion OF at
tcmttiug to conceal It's Importance
l. this state Of affairs hopeess2 Il II the
agony Of the Russian nation Has tn" latter
llaycd oui is part In history and Is this the
every reason To- believe that such il not the cilsc
The nation itself is safe aud souud-the car
dom alone. that cancer which has for centuries
sucked the LIES blood out OF tn Russian pco-
pie with H. whole train. Is rottng of and tall
inr to pieces. What tho world IL now witness
INK is the agony of Russian autncracy. The
carbon alone II the true cuusc " all the mis-
sry ku-sin ar endurcdfor centuries and Is now
t'ill enduring. With ite oNorti row the nation
will DR. attic freely. and Will at last be- able to
develop AL us Intent energies
TIL" power con .,utratcd n the Russian Cars
Is without precedent I'm history, and has AT all
hmrs vNertnd most fatal influence on public
life IN Russin ~ wei rs ON the personal char
acter oi the Cars themselves. Trained to
saNish obedience. and tu the belief thnt the per-
'"nai Will ut one man and not ia" law WIS the
guldl ug principle ~ their whole existence, the
people gradual Is sank into that political and in
>U,'lual apathy from which even now ia" mass
u the liI--iuu ia'H-unfry have not Yet awaken
ed. The Government took IN the popular i'm
tEiuatiun tue form Of a law OF nature the
ELECTS Of which could ne thor us iorrsern nor
and adnrcd Not only a. tAc people. however
but To tho Cars themselves has their power
become a curse. Feeling the awful rospunsi-
bhiy weighing "n them. th"y naturally sought
H. ais. iaIo ! Dv giving their bower a divine
tnarn'trt. Ivory ono OF tlnir 1ci~ they began
!, consider rs the Will 81 God themselves ~
His INSTRUMENTS. and every man who dared 20
oppose them us an inSoi'nt atheist not rvcui.-
niHng the dictates uf heaven. Tor whom no nun
lshWrIt could appear too cruel and severe. In
CERTAIN sense the opinion Is well founded that
All Russian zars were more or los lutninrs A
human mind cannot bear the strain but on It by
III" rNrr 'l-N ui nu almost divine power. II nat
urally acquires a morbid disposition. which
lhk'r lili. tcni forms. according TO tho chnra'-
Ter and cnnrgy OF each inV,viduAL Tho protu-
lyp. oi this species 81 " Casurean" mania il 20
Nicholas was the type OF convinced
suto'rut-of an autocrat by the grace Of God"
Ia MN all tho traditions OF ancient CARBON
were ucrsonincd: he exercised his power not
only rs right. but ~ n holy duty. in posed on
rom personal hatred or out OF Governmental
Interests nut simply as work OF heavenly JUS
An episode which happened IN 1918 with a
member OF my own family will best serve 20
Illustrate this feature IN the character - the
Iron Car. \ relation OF mine, who WAS
University. had. With a low irIends'
formed a literary society. in which the
works Of contemporary political economists
puhlisists and philosophers were read and ,le-
'rrt poiiDs, lenoun cd the society IA "A secret
evolutionary organ izs,tion. and nay relative A.
President thereof. The latter WAS Of course mr.
rested, lorsrd M In one OF the underground
''..s of the ST. Petersburg fortress. and summR-
ray condemned. by "a special military court, 10
Tnsnor'auou To siberia for life.
MI llt' lllN|lNIt1 WHICH our lhlullN iNNNff-Ntt
70 u %h quarters was brought 20 bear on the
car. but IN vain. At last the mother of the prs-
2her. meeting the Car one day during one OF
len threw herself at his feet aver
rlg her sons innocence and implor-
~ biz pardon. The CyHr seemed TO be
protnuully touched. He raised the old lady
Win IN" most chiyalr0us and plying defer
tnoe. and promised her TO reconsider her sons
ti-e, and Ia nave personal interview with
am. Nirholas was true to his word. The very
l"t day the young cUlprit was brought ont Of
alone before the Emperor. The hitter took him
oy the hand. ted him hefore an image OF the
saviour suspended in corner q. the room. aud.
lorNnE him down on his knees exclaimed:
Can YOU swear before the \ mighty God
ihrt mother you nor your associates had any
!liminH Design against my iitrf can YOU
tlly Of ue Russian autocracy z
Al soon as the prisoner had recovered from
als uuboundod surprise. he answered;
can swear 10 your MAJESTY that neither
nor any ~ my friends had The rrmota - design
against your safety. As 10 the tutncrutic form
II goyernmont cannot conscienuuusly swear
MT believe ia lis eternity. The history Of
oth"r countries teaches ~ that the time must
'oue. even IN Russia. when the people Itself
y u take part IN It's government"
lhe Car answered not syllable. embraced
ne young man with almost pacrnhl tender
l'sr. and draw ng ring from hs own finger
EaNg % 20 ian, saying:
lls is "a token of respect from your car.
You hav" been %. r" and truthful 90 ne. and
her ls natA.n. hate So much as "a lie
lie thtn apr. Hrhrd his wiring table, on
Ehinh the S.niruccp tiI" court couerrniIe my
'elatye Wis .ylng and with one stroke ~ the
2ch-slsnei tar uarerl
pity Sou from the bottom q my heart. he
la,di YOU ut" AN hon ~ man, and ana Honest
uah, true a. ms cnnslotlons. Is 600 r" q. vigorous
Y ATTORNEY than AN uuptiu 'Ipl"d rascal.
1h"rriIr must punish you, though never
Ms tllts duiy moro painful 90 ma than now.
= d birss S0u my son. and luig" me mctr-
iu.Y !. supuld appear tu Doe lu tur wrong.
ANA oue' more cmbraeln. las ~ eillu. ne led
llm co. tue door.
THIS story, every parti"uinr ~ which / have
heard from nIy lut4NG himself. VINO at the bee
ginning ~ ~" pres N reign WIS pnrlDucl and
returned o. 81. Petersburg. dcpNs NNlull the
pUrul HrItle- 90 NlchOlu- Errut hut entirely dee
hanged mind. Tue holiness oi has position as
ielrutHr a. AutocTacy h"camc "a uaniu.
A. ,dG Hre. for which bee would have sacrificed
lin lllo tr lr did those of others il the ocr-lon
81 dOlug -p bad brcsrTt'l Itself Nicholas MAJ
1ANo boon iIIrd the Bgutus OF autOrra.y.
Like all tue Princes Of the ltOnau1n family. hs
nad received tut u i-craiir education Acru--
lOuri from childhood tl drul rlthrr with lawn
NJ "Durtl"rs or with severely disciplined sol
~, he considered a soldier M" IDEAL Oi a true
Ell N'n. implicit Obedience fho only civic virtue.
Ihd "a hurrdfk the model OF pnutrtl urptuiZa-
Lon. In hls NINA spirit col military discipline
N's 10 poryude the whole country. IAc free
v u Of each clt'zen was iumited hy the rrup" of
h.s private lifc In all punu' matters the
" molly 10, W"r" u the C2Ar reigurd paramount.
bhi mot only criticism, hut plan discussion.
ttrn % thorough kuoWledg" Of su"h matters ON
"" ulrt Of a private citizen, was considered
frfuIraL
rhI. Horrible system. which only the morbid