New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-03
An OPPRESSED PEOPLE.

Americans bav, long been under the delu-
sion that this was pretty good country Ihey
started out with that idea. The visitors VINO
came here from the Old World In the carry
mart Of the century complained, haf I'D au-
miration and half in pity. that everybody III
the United States considered himself more free
than Europeans, looked upon MS Government
AS something superior to anything the "orio
bod known and REGARDED it as a privilege and
ioy TO be able TO live under It's laws HIS de-
scendants have nursed the same notion. Even
now. probably. ninetenths OF the people OF tDe
United States regard their institutions Win
favor. obey the laws willingly and pay taxes
without complaint. They sometimes ma fault
with the shortcomings Of their officers, and tax
about this or that defect Of administration Out
they are no less convinced of the general ex-
cellence of their Government and prouder OF II
than father is proud of his children, though
they have faults which call forth his reproof.
There are few Americans who do not think
tbo,r country. with all It's faults. the happiest
and most fortunate in the world But it seems
they are mistaken.
4 writer for Popular Science Monthly" has
detected the CALLING bonds which bind Them
He sees the despotlsm that Expresses then,
and knows what slaves they are for all
their boasts of liberty. He has been reading
To,sto,'s account of the oppressive restrictions
which surround the peasants OF the "black
earth" region Of Russia. how the Government
dogs them for disobedience or stupidity, hedges
them about with thousand rules and regula-
lions which prevent them from acting on their
own responsibility. kills out originality ana
aspiration and by heavy and arbitrary taxation
and bureaucratic despotism works the degenera-
ton of the race 1t Is a sad story, and we be-
gin as we read 1t TO pity from our vantage
grornd of freedom the poor Russian peasants
only 10 be startled suddenly with the informa-
ton that We too, are ground under similar
despotism. and are only less miserable than the
moor children OF the Great White Car. The
writer says:
II makes no difference in the iong run whether
n law abridging freedom issues from the palace
ne a czar or from the legislative halls of pop
Mar assembly The individual Directing 10 II
Is obliged TO regulate his life. not In accordance
with his own notions. but In accordance WIN
,be notions OF some one else II makes no diff
ference either. whether taxation Is imposed by
an imperial edict or by q legislative vote. The
citizens that have to bear IL against their will
contribute money for purposes that some one
else only approves Of The only difference be-
tween Russia and the United states Is that
this kind Of despotism has Deen carried 10 much
greater lengths In one country than In the other
This Is startling The concession that things
have gone to greater length in Russia than
among us is all the more disquieting. for it sug
eests that the author may be- in tenderness.
making the case ont better than 1t really is,
and. besides IL holds out the prospect OF even
more restrictions on personal liberty and more
outrageous tax-squeezing than We now stagger
under That fear is strengthened by learning
that "the Americans are constantly approving
scheme after scheme for social regeneration
chat involves some restriction upon freedom,
20, m ,ncreass of taxation. or both.' and great.