Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1880-03-17
" STRONG" GOVERNMENT
ABROAD.

The appointment of General l!orls
MelikoH at the bead OF u commission
TO "stop revolutionary Vaccinations"
is confession on the part of the Rus.
sian Government of the total collapse
Of its policy Of repression. General
Gourlio who was created Governor
General of 81. Petersburg some months
ago was invested with ample powers
and charged with the work Of stamp
ing out sediuon. General Gourko, who
is "a thdfo0gS 'S5l&sT sci TO work with
great diligence and 81. Petersburg was
soon placed under the strictest police
surveillance. Extraordinary precau.
tions were taken, such as placing por.
ters at the doors of houses, increasing
the police force, making wholesale ar.
rests OF suspected persons, enforcing
the most rigorous supervision OF the
press, etc.
In spite of these despotic measures
the Nihilists carried on their work as
boldly as ever Revolutionary procla-
nations continued 10 be posted in con.
spicuoas places, the Nihilist ncwspa.
pers were circulated by thousands,
and, it is said, means were found TO
convey threatening letters to the Gar.
These demonstrations were answered
by the adoption of new and moro
stringent measures by Gourko, until
the city OF ST. Petersburg and, indeed,
all Russia, was practically in state OF
siege, Still the Nlhilists were not
frightened or subdued, On tho con.
trary they seemed TO grow bolder and
moro aggressive. In addition TO many
lesser deeds Of violence Two attempts
two blow up the Gear with dynamite
have been made within two months,
and 80 carefully laid were the plans OF
the conspirators in each case and with
such exact knowledge of the move.
monts and habits of the Emperor, that
his escape twice seems little short OF
miraculous. The failure of the police
to discover these plots beforehand, and
the subsequent failure TO detect the
conspirators seems to have finally de.
stroyed the confidence of the Gear in
the Gourko method Of suppressing dis.
order. The appointment of General
Molikoff as the chief of a commission
to be made up of delegates from the
different departments is a significant
though not necessarily radical depart
ure from the previous system. 1t af.
fords, however, unmistakable evidence
of a conviction on the part OF the Czar
that the policy OF arbitrary repression
has been fully tried and has failed.
Should tho Gar have the moral cour.
age to 60 still further and grant to the
people the reforms which are demand,
ed and which do not necessarily in.
volvo the destruction Of the Govern.
ment, his throne and dynasty might
yet be saved. The great bulk of the
Russian people are not yet prepared
for q Republican form OF government
and it would perhaps be better for the
future of genuine Republicanism in
that country that the overthrow
OF the Empire should be delayed by
timely concessions than that the pres
ent system should be swept away in 0
wild outburst of popular fury. A peo
plo must be capable of selfgovernmenl
before Republic can be safely erect
ed upon the ruins of II despotism and
the great mass of tho Russian people
are as yet too ignorant to permit the
hope that they would render loya
and permanent support to moderate
Republic. That a Democratic form o
Government will be secured to Russf
at no distant day cannot be doubted
but by wise concessions it is possible
for the Gear TO mako the transition az
easy and gradual one. On the othei
hand it is equally within his power, by
continuing the stubborn resistance
which has hitherto marked his con
duet, to provoke the savage monster
Of revolution into frightful outburst
One thing, however, has been settled
beyond dispute, and that is, the almost
ludicrOus helplessness Of "strong'
government in tho hands of madden
cd and desperate people. Evidently
the statesmen" who are clamorinl
for Grant and "strong" government
in this country do not comprehend
what is going on across the sea- Bal
] fiu1ore IN -qffe