The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-04-10
A QUEo1lv, UF DUTY
jUNIUS HENRI BROWNE WRITES OF
RUSSIAN BARBARITlES.
He Believes That the Civilized Nations
of Europe Should Turn in and Force
New Course.
Especial Correspondence

New Course.
Especial Correspondence
NEW YORK, March 2S-Russia is today
the greatest physical and political force in
the world. 1t is also the most unfortunate,
the most forlorn, the most distressed coun-
try that lays any claim TO civilization.
Corruption is rooted in the empire 1t
seems socially, politically, financially. agri-
culturally, morally, theologically. CONNER
cially so unsound that it must soon fall to
pieces. There can be no rational doubt
that it is on the eve of revolution and Of
transformation, which alone can preserve
it from dissolution. Its despotic power and
barbarous spirit must be destroyed in or
der that it may survive and ally Itself
with the cause of justice, progress and en-
hghtennnent. The empire in its present
form must eventually so to pieces. All
that is good in it will remain.
When we speak of Russia we include
many incongruous and discordant ele-
ments. But we commonly mean the gov
eminent, which is autocratic, in no man
ner representative and for which the great
mass of the people, whether educated or
ignorant, are 10 more responsible than our
aboriginalS are for the laws OF the United
States. The car is not all powerful, as
is popularity thought. He rules by and
through his ministry and cabinet. If he
should attempt what they failed TO sane
ton he would suddenly die, as some of his
overwillful predecessors have done. But he,
sustained by the ministry and cabinet, and
backed by the army OF course, almost al
ways on the side of authority, however
got, constitute the government by right
and by fact.
The strength of the empire is the peas
antry {many of them emancipated serfs),
densely ignorant and superstitious, but in
dustrious, patient, kindly, tractable, sub
servient entirely under the domination
of the priesthood, for the most part inlet
tered, Incorporate and lax in morality.
They are whatever the government wishes
them to be-they are its absolute creatures,
indeed-for the sacerdotal class exists by
the will of the czar-the spiritual head Of
the Greek church. the Aluscovite pope. On
the peasantry depends the destiny of Rus
STA If they were intelligent, if they could
be made to think, to see their own interest,
the existing form Of government could not
last All efforts of the nihilists to impress
them, to reach their brain, duh and unde-
veloped as it is, have proved futile, and
y
order should arise, who could see and feel
their wrongs, who should have passionate
SOUL fervia Imagination and the gift of
eloquence and command, he would break
the power of the car forever and lead his
followers to condition Of light and lib
erty. But so long as the peasants continue
to be what they are, political improvement
or governmental reformation from within
would appear to be the reverse Of encour-
aging.
We Americans used 20 feel very friendly
toward Russia (she had fiattered our ma
tional pride good deaD because we knew
so very little about her, and the two coan-
tries were so far apart and SO opposite in
character shat their interests could not
conflict. We heard indirectly about the
evils and savageries of her commission,
but we did not credit them. And when any
of our compatriotS, travelling or sojourn-
ing there, impaired in regard to such re-
ports they were assured, with show OF
virtuous indignation, that they were abso-
lutely and mafciously false. The Russian
officials have always been the greatest and
most plausible liars on the planet, as all
persons, of whatever nationality, have re
peatedly ascertained. They appear SO frank,
so ingenious, so honest, SO anxious that
not an atom Of truth shall be withheld,
that they might convince the most dis
truStful man alive of their integrity. In
St. Petersburg they have proverb, "A
Russian diplomatist can lie so adroitly as
to deceive the father of lies himself, and
make no special effort either"
The piteous tales of Siberian exile and
cruelty had been so often pronounced mon
strous fabrications by Russians that we
were not willing to credit them without
reserve, until one of our countrymen laid
the whole hideous truth before us in SO
clear and striking a light that further
doubt became impossible.
Latterly the terrible prosecutions Of the
Jews, perfectly authenticated, have
equaled anything that occurred in the
Dark Ages and have filled outside human
ity with horror.
For the Siberian atrocities the govern
ment alone has been answerable, and since
their full exposure the extreme course OF
the nihilists has seemed to be justified.
So desperate are these enemies of tyranny,
so summary is their vengeance often, that
other nations may have felt that the high
officials were likely to pay, soon or late, the
penalty of their crimes.
Not So however, the horrible Jew batting.
This would appear to be the beginning of
the rabid Pan-Slavism. melted and pro ~
ed alike by the government and the 20 m
ing classes. The car has, it is believed,
always been a violent and virulent Pan
Slavist. and may have been prompted to
these outrages from desire TO unite his
subjects by common hatred and persecu-
ton. and TO avert the continued blows of
Dihilism, of which he has reason TO be eX-
ceedingly afraid 1t is maintained with
great air of probabilit that as soon as the
Jews shall be disposed of, other foreigners
will be hunted down and driven from the
empire. in pursuance of the practical plan
of Pan-Slavism. Whether this be true or
not, more than enough has been done to
demonstrate the fact that the leading, in
fuential Russians are not at all civilized,
and do not intend to follow civilized usages.
They are, as has frequently been said, not
European, but Asiatic, and they seem re
solved to return ts the customs and law
lessness of the Thirteenth and Fourteenth
centuries, to become entirely Slay-in our
sense, entirely barbarous-
Having thus placed themselves outside
of civilization. what should civilization do;
what is its palpable duty: They viii not
listen 20 advice reason, or any appeal 70
humanity. which they have ignored and
which they despise. As they are, or 81
least acs like. barbarians they require TO
be coerced. The law Of force is the last
law, and the only law tina. criminals and
savsges will respect.
Surprising that Russia cannot be de-
TERED or frightened, as Is wholly probable,
nv any eyrra ION IF The moral sentiment