Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1898-12-15
CHAPTER III. iContipu.M

CHATTER III. (Contipu.N
"By descent l am: but by birth am Il
subject of the Car, and l am as much
a Russian by education and sympathy
as any mouiik in the land. Understand
me. 1t is not merely. or chiefly. tina,
we demand 4 share in legislation. In
my opinion, Il drSpotic form of govern
ment does not in itself justify revolu.
ton. But we ask the rights Of free
men, We say that no man should liza
bic to be tried. sentenced and eNilcd by
a secret tribunal Administrative or
ders, under which no mans liberty is
safe. should be abolished. More than
that--wc demand the blessings OF eiu-
cation for the peasant as we'll as for
the shopkceper or the professional
classes. We claim the right to travel
when and where we choose. We insist
that we ourselves. our families and our
property shall be beyond the reach of
an arbitrary decree Of the Car. Until
that is gained. we are. as l have said.
slavns-slavcS. for the most part. alas:
contented to be in chains
IF the people don't want the bless
in.S of freedom. | don't see how You
arc going to force them TO strike Il
blow to gain them" | observed.
Exactly. But is it Just that all
should be rnSlaved because the major
ity care nothing for freedom: Besides.
you cannot really suppose that Russia
can long remain in the state Of semi
barhariSm she is in now. 1t is iMpoS-
siblc. The law of change, of passing
10 higher. wider life. is the law of
humanity. Sooner or later it must be
ohcyed. But it will make a vast diff
ference whether the change. when it
GENES. finds our people in some meas
IRE prepared for liberty or not. If the
people are first of all taught that they
are men. and not brute beasts: if they
are taught lessons OF justice. of gener-
osity. or fidelity. they may use the pow
or we'll when ii comes to them. But II
not-Gocd heavens. Think of it. Think
of Il hundred million slaves suddenly
aWaking to the knowledge that the
power is in their own handS-that the
r,rn who are sent to shoot them down
are their hrotherS-that all the DOwer
is in their handS-that the mere weight
of their numbers is enough to crush
their enemies to the eartll--I say. think
WI tlt lilltt W litil tlilS -lt.ti SllVllt l'N'-
plc realizes these things. and stands up
TO take vengeance for centuries OF
wrong!
Il tell you. the scenes Of the French
Revolution. dreadful as they We're.
would be multiplied a hundred. thou
sand times. till what has been deemed
one of the most awful episodes in the
worlds history would seem trivial by
comparison. 1t is precisely to save
Russia from such catastrophe that
we labor. without thanks from noble OF
peasant. without reward. or hope Of re
ward. always in peril. often riSking
our lives. We labor to spread the
ability to read-that first great step in
intellectual development-over the
length and breadth of Russia. That
alone is enough to earn us the bitter
ill-will Of the Government. and Of all
who are interested in keeping the peo-
pie in their present ignorance. Then
we preach to them-nOt socialism, still
less atheism. as our enemies declare;
but the right of every man to be his
own master, to have only written, def
mite laws to obey. and to be no longer
the mere slave Of the local taX-gather-
CT. Our organization lleady embraces
q large part of the country. and-yes.
there is little wonder that the govern
ment Of the Car hates and fears u.s.
And these Observation-Disclosures are
quite things Of the past. l suppose:
''TO be frank with you. l will got
quite say that" replied Won Mitschka.
after a pause. ''Where there have been
great expressions. horrible cruelties. it
may be our duty TO show the tyrants.
by the only means in our power. that
they cannot outrage the laws of God
and Nature with impunity. But at.
tempts on the lives Of persons in high
station, simply because of the position
they occupy, we hold to be not only
blunders. as experience has shown, but
crimes as Well"
II am glad to hear you say that"
returned, rising as I spoke from the log
on which had been sitting: "but it is
time that left YOU. for
The words seemed to freeze on NY
lips. for at that moment we both heard
Il low, half-stitlel cough close by in the
darkness! Our conversation had been
overheard: and what was meant for
my companion. if not for myself.
could only guess.
] stood stock still. but could hear
that Won MitSchka was creeping. with
cat-lIke tread. in the direction from
which the faint sound had come
He had gone but Il few feet when he
stopped short. There was Il move
mcnt among the timber. Il shout. and
then the loud crack Of Il revolver rang
in my startled ears