The Fremont County record., 1881-03-19
tion of the existing world of politics

tion of the existing world of politics
| and society,""
sIf even single old form is spared
this form would become the embryo
from which all the old social forms
would be begotten again"
Thus it will be seen that their OBJ
| jective point is the total abolition of
church and state with all attend
ant institutions, such as marriage,
right of property. etc. The history
of this sect shows that they certainly
intend to be thorough. When any
man is in their way, that man
is removed, whether he be
peasant or the car of Russia.
Every class of Russian society is rep
resented in this uihilistic movement.
1t has spread through the nobility,
the army, the merchants and trades
men. the peasants, and runs riot in
| the lowest classes of society. A nj
hilist bows before no authority save
that in his sect and accepts NO priu-
! ciple without examination, no mat
ter W hat credit the principle has"
The prevailing spirit in this organ
ization is destruction and this can be
accomplished only at the cost of blind
obedience to superiors even to the
extremity of death. No martyr ever
defied his accusers more calmly or
met death with greater fortitudc
than do these nihilists when tried
and condemned by Russian officials
and the cultured victim submits TO
his fate as readily as the ignorant one.
In the cool light of reason it is evil
dent that no society built on these
principles can confer lasting bene-
fit upon mankind. and vet is it evil
dent, also, that any state of society
that in any way necesssitates the ex
istence of so relentless an organization
must be cr have been immeasurably
corrupt. History shows Russia to
have been in this state. Absolute
despotism, religious persecution, ig-
norance and servitude have produced
their inevitable results. Through
the broad empire of Russia but one
| in fifty ever attends school and out
of every one hundred in the army
only eleven are able to read. 1t can
readily be seen that in such state of
society and under such government
revolutionary principles once origin
ated would spread with frightful
rapidity and intensity.
In the beginning of his reign the
late czar partially realizing the state
of things tried 10 adopt more liber-
emancipated the forty-eight million
serfs but the Polish revolt in 1868
put stop to all systematic attempts
at reform and by discontinuing his
liberal policy the emperor made more
enemies than if he had never began
it. The emancipation of the serfs
has not ans cred expectations and it
is questionable if they are to-day in
as good n condition as before their
liberty was attained. The outlook
| for Russia is certainly not encoura@-
lug. The new emperor unless more
liberal than his father will certainly
not live or reign as loag. To-day
under an aggravation of discourag-
ing circumstances the new czar gives
law to one-seventh of the earth's sur
face. HIS dominion is the largest in
the world and from his throne he
governs people seven thousands miles
away on the coasts of Asia. His SUBJ
jects number eighty-five millions aud
are scattered over an area of nine
million square miles-a tract of land
more than twice the area of Europe.
His will is the absolute law of this
immense empire, all power-eXecu-
tive, legislative and judicial centers
in him by virtue of his hereditary
right.
Assuming such responsibility, as
cending the throne under such de
pressing influences and in times of
such revolutionary excitement and
tendencies, he certainly can not be
congratulated. No man can envy
his position. In the next quarter of
century great problem is to be
solved in Russia, whether Alexander
III possesses the ability or not his
tory alone can determine.
C. 5. LITTLE.