New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-04-26
RUSSI4V UTILIZATION

| A good deal OF vague and misty writing has
been done about Russia, and especially about
certain alleged reasons why the United States
| should sympathize with her. But certainly any
| attachment to the prevailing lines Of govern
mental action in Russia must be impossible for
| an American who understands the question, for
| the Cars Government Is the last stronghold of
| Absolutsm in Europe, and all its energies
| which are not employed in territorial expansion
are engaged in REFRESHING the popular efforts
after freedom of thought and representative in
situations. The Russian masses are stepped in
! ignorance and superstition, and proven ted from
acquiring any enlightenment. There is no free
press in the country. even magazines having
lately been suppressed for daring to touch upon
politics. The universities are all under the
most rigorous police supervision. Every
student has a spy at his back. The introduction
of liberal publications, even of scientific works
| from England. Germany and France, is prohib-
| tied. The frontier customs officers are
instructed to keep knowledge out of the
country as carefully as if it were dynamite.
The only authorized public opinion is that of
| the army, and that eycrts an organized
pressure in favor of foreign war and constant
territorial expansion. The military sentiment
in effect dominates the Government-and while
the enormous area OF Russia proper is but half
settled and half cultivated while there is a
century's work close ut hand for the school
teacher. the legislator. the journalist, the
scientific farmer; while corruption, stagnant
commerce aud wastcful foreign wars have
exhausted the credit of the country, the voice
of the army still clamors for fresh campaigns
and fresh acquisitions.
The idea that Russian conquest is civlizing is
deluson. What has been done for the Cen
trai Asian Khanates is simply to tranqullize
them externally. \ stop has been put to tribal
quarrcs and raids, but the White Cars rule Is
neither patcrnal nor clcvating. His Generals
ard Governors fleece the Asiatics and pillage
themselves rich. They hold down the native
rNccs, but they do not help them to higher
civilization. Indeed, it would be absurd To
expect any other results from the Kaufmanns,
Tehernaiefis and Komaroifs who bear sway in
those regions. There is nowhere in Russia any
broad policy of domestic reform or improve
ment. II may be said that Nihilism has justi
fed the abandonment of such policy, but the
truth is that Nlhilsm grew out OF the despair
of better things. Ii has happened that Russian
conquest has supplanted still more hopeless
conditions in Central Asia, and it might do the
same in European Turkey. But Russia is to-
day not a Power from which the world has
anything to hope while her ascendancy would
involve the menace inseparable from the sue
cessful ambition of n emi-barbarous yet strong
Power.
If Russian Absolutism coheres its advance
must be disastrous to all true progress and all
real civilization. If it does not cohere the
country will have to WORK out its own salvation
painfully through anarchy and revolution. But
whatever the future character of its Govern
ment, it can do nothing for the general welfare
of mankind for long time to come, and at
present all its tendencies are dangerous and
threatening to the cause of democracy in
Europe.