New-York tribune., 1896-05-24

Russia to-day is as a whole, more than cent
ury behind the rest of Europe. The masses OF
the people are in about the same condition that
those Of other countries were in In the sixteen'h
century They as ignorant. as neipiess' as
much oppressed. and nearly as ill-proVloeu WIN
the appliances Of civilization. They are suoJeo'
to the superstitions and passions, ana to '"e
chronological chdshness Of three centuries aso'
On the other hand. the Government ana 'he run
ing classes belong 10 the nineteenth century anu
TO the closing years of IT, They have all the cul-
ture all the worldly knowledge, all the scie'''''c
resource Of the most advanced nations OF the
world and they use these things not for the
good but for the continued oppression OF the peo-
pie This fact 1t is that puts the people AT 80
great disadvantage In their struggles for socln'
and political emancipation When. twenty ouu
years ago a host Of young apostles Oh hoe'S
from among the educa ted classes tried 10 spre"u
the revolutionary propaganda among the peas
antry. they failed. The peasants were 100 ighor-
ant too helpless, too hopeless. mus IL mas ''i''
to pass that there never yet has been ahy'hl"s
like popular movement for political REFORM i"e
people have been incapable OF IT, Nihii'S'"
meaning all work for refornl-haG been restric'eu
to a small part Of the Russian nation.
Even there II has been further hampered oy
division into two factions the Liberal and the
Socialist or the former we shall presently near
more. IN Felix Volkhov>kys pamphlet or the
latter Stepnlak was the most conspicuous eX-
nonent. Yet he differed widely from the typical
Socialist of Western Europe, for one thing, IN
his moderation and his conciliatory spirit lie
was for unity OF effort on the part OF Liberals
and Socialists and he was willing 10 give the
plans OF the former precedence and 10 hold those
OF the latter in abeyance. Socialism could nope
TO prevail only after political liberty had oecohe
an accomplished fact, end by poiiticai hoe'V
he did not mean the Commune. nor RepuoHc'
but merely Constitutional Monarchy. He was
quite willing that the Romanoffs should continue
TO reign. He merely wanted them 70 grant 10
the people a Constitution. the suHrage' ana d
representative Legislature. with the ADOPTION
OF the British system Ia Russia. this Nlhinst
u,ould nrohahly have become a loyal Minister OF
tho Crown That gives ,hs a different notion Of
hin, from the commonly accepted one Of an ire
corc,,ahle honb-t thrower who reckoned the de-
struction Of all that is a necessary prerequisite
to the coming Of that which is u be; yet 1t ~
probably the true one Stepniak did not condemn
violence Neither. at least In his later years
did he preach 4, Plots. bombs and dynamite ne
held TO be justihabe. TN View on the cynical
boundess despotism now rampant IN hu"sia
form OF protest lS Ia"luI '"' '"''"N'
was after all. only means. and not the most
desirable means. II the Government could be
nersuaded 20 grant reforms without 1t. - much
the better Freedom " speech. freedom oi inc
nress and universal franch're were fully sul-
0cient weapons and the only right weapons u
use in the great social conflict. In this Stepniak
.appcared in a far more favorable light than the
Socialists of to-day in France who. having the''
throe weapons still camor for violence and for
the denial u others of the privileges they them
selves enjoy ut is only by guaranteeing liberty
70 our opponents" said Stepnak. that We can
secure our own. The science Of liberty does not
consist in knowing how TO do and say what ls
pleasant or advantageous T. ours"lVes-eVery one
can manage that without learning how-Dut IN
developing the faculty Of tolerating what Is un-
pleasant or even injurious, whenever 1t is the
result Of the use Of rights equal TO our own
That Ia n noble saying. worthy of universal and
everlasting remembrance. and especially to be
commended t. a host OF so-called apostles of
liberty whose creed Is that famous one that
every man Is as good any other man, and
great deal better.