New-York tribune., 1901-04-14
RI SSIAN TENDENCIES.
SINCE THE DEATH OF ALEXANDER II
THE NATION HAS BEEN HALIING BE-
TWEEN REACTION AND PROGRESS.

! Hoyicow. in The International Monthly.
What Is the present tendency q the Russian
mind? IN order 10 answer this question We
must go back 4 few years
The shameful defeats suffered IL the NTIllt1
II 1854 and 1870, had shown. with the most an
solute ciearness. how fatal had been the ultfa
conservative policy Of the Emperor Nlcho!as l.
! powerful literal reaction st IN under Alex
arder II. a series of beneficent reforms was the
result. the suppression OF serfdonl. IN 1871. tle
reformation of the courts Of justice and the IN
reduction Of the jury system. in lef'4' pro
yircial self if-gOVernment for the provinces IN
1et-I. and the suppression Il preliminary insure
~ - Petersburg and MOSCOW in tn SANE year
These reforms created a new spirit 'NaI4
IN72 the Russian youth were a. tie boiling point
Thy desired enter W on { scTt q crusade u
free the peasants from their ignorance Youth
CuI apostles went abroad over the country.
freaching among the WOrkmen IN the towns
r-o-i=s that were liberal and more or less sub
1ersive Il the Russian Government had been
enl0vved that time with even a partially Gear
serse IF justice il would nave understood that
u preach what seems TO him the truth is the
TrimOrdial right OF every human creature On
the otner hand. If the Russian Government had
possessed the most elementary principles oi
sociology il would have seen at cnce tnat the
Nhist apostleship had no sort Of chance 81
amounting "a anything serious Indeed 10 InodllH
th- political ideas Of loUn.'@o of llllterAte men
would require an enormous amount OF Inonet
and immense efforts, protracted for generations.
What c0illd be ACCOMPLISHED by some thousands.
OF rather by some hundreds. OF young NlnllIstS
srread about through the country districts Of
pear il the vast ocean OF iSHoFail'- flt"-l,t
rh4rn without leaving further trace than would
a small brook in the Atlantic The goVerTIllen nj
had only 10 shut its eyes. The youthtul en-
thusiasts would have been freed from their
social illusions, and in very little while they
vyould have abandoned th-ir premature at
,-fapts. This Is just what did happen in many
caSes. Many young preachers became N-rY
c1 ckly disguised. and gave up their apcsteship
-rnong the peasants, seeing that Ii could lead -
1-nhappily. the Russian Government had 10
sufficient amount Of liberalism, nor Of foresight
The rractionists who surrounded the noble and
3-e1erous sovereign. the great hearted Alexander
H. began To frighten him. and advised measure
- me-ciless seH erIty against the NIhl-lsts- IAe
HOurez persons ~ no were preaching IN tn cO4i-
-. districts were arrested Iut IN PRISON. sub
clrseguenc- E sentences rendered behind CLOS q
doors by special rriburas & that offered 10 guar
s.rteA = iYnI art5ality and equity T@re trans
g-rted 10 Siberia. In the face Il such perSet u
-tO..S a / - tFe \ ISIS St-f IL = trans
formed themselves into q secret society aud
eassinaton and ou1rages even more daring
Holding the Emperor =. eNanctr II res. .onfli'ir
fer the policy urR.d ~ tiT - his @-NIS-TS,
rh.-v became auraEeI aG4lu=t hiE1 pctst nally.
and made repeated attempts - Kill him
\ NEW CRUSADE.
In n mean wh.Ie the Turkish war broke oat.
TIL Russian army sGff rci great prlFau"ns.
\.-.erf a4l4sS in time thsy jr.UmpheG- and ar
r.vrd under the walls of Constantin'p". In
February 1875 Russia was hreath!es~ly await
fng the arror,Ijl Ijli-hrncut Il neg -stIUy ~Td the
oroWning Of her historical MISSION oF an ~
tnenee majority - the Russians the war ~ $50
raE all The effect f & new crusade. A glorious
hope had taken supreme possession ~ ttrIi
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