The Saint Paul globe., 1904-05-29
UNRELIABLE INFORMATION.

20 Wen 10 accept the statement made
by the London Standard Of the dread
full conditions existing throughout Rus.
sia with many grains of salt. The
Standards correspondent tells a most
sensational story about great disturb
ances in various cities. followed by the
summary execution without trial Of
hundreds OF offenders. According to
him all Russia is simmering and bub-
bling with revolution, and he declares
that so many troops are necessary to
repress domestic disturbances that only
few are available for the front. All
this would indicate Russia's HELPLESS
ness to carry on war with vigor, and
her present practical defeat.
Like so much other news from Rus
sia, like pretty nearly everything by
which American public opinion has
been formed, this information is coli
ored by the deadly hatred Of the Eng
lishman for the Russ The feeling that
found expression IN Kipling's poem,
The Bear That Walks Like a Man." is
not only universal throughout Great
Britain, but 1T seems to be INDUCED at
the expense of ordinary veracity as
well as Of reason and common sense.
It Is difficult for the most truthful
Engiishman to tell things about Rus
sia exactly as they exist or as he him
self sees them. His prejudice Is so in
veterate, his desire for Russian reverse
is so powerful that he leans insensibIy
toward an Interpretation, or even an
invention, Of facts that would tell in
that direction. Hence the terrible tale
Of the Standard Is worth no more, un-
less confirmed from outside sources,
than a rumor from one army or the
other Of a great victory won by it's own
prowess.
The condition OF public feeling
throughout Russia is fairly well
known. There is no great mystery
about 1t. Such political troubles as
exist are limited to a few Of the large
cities, chiefly those where the univer-
stiles exist. The student body is pene-
trated to a considerable extent by So
ciaiistic theories, and these young men
have the courage of their convictions.
Their hot blood leaps to deeds that will
realize Immediately, in their magma
tfon, their theories Of the universe.
They create disorders and they are re-
pressed by the strong hand of the law.
OF course they will be most active,
and they will find the public mind
most impressfbIe on occasions like the
present, when the whole nation is
aroused and when many reverses have
wrought the populace into passion of
fear and wrath.
Throughout Russia at large these
conditions are not duplicated. There
is no people In the world so patient, so
loyal and SO patriotic in the sense Of
devotedness to their country and it's
rulers as the people in rural Russia.
The peasant does not differentiate be-
tween religion and politics. The car Is
to him his father" and stands but a
little lower In his scale OF actual wor-
ship than his God. Whatever his rul-
ers decree Is for him gospel, not only
as a matter Of obedience. but with the
hearty acquiescence OF his undeveIoped
mind. The state to him can do no
wrong, and any form Of rebellion
against it as far as he Is concerned Is
unthinkable.
Now the excesses OF revolutionary
sentiment being thus limited to a small
number OF well defined areas, having
existed for many years and merely
showing greater activity in this time
OF awakened national thought and
feeling, the situation can be sized up
about as well from a distance as by
any correspondent on the spot. The
existence OF a general revolutionary
feeling throughout Russia at this time,
the prevalence of public disorder and
resistance to authority, is simply in
conceivable. That there may be bitter
criticism of military and naval authori-
ties is very likely. IF our army and
navy had suffered in the war with
Spain such continuous reverses as have
befaIlen Russia's arms, there would
have been riots In half a dezen of our
cities, and the government at Wash
ington would have been at least threat
ened with deposition by force in favor
Of more capable planners and leaders.
That proud and patriotic Russia
feels this way IL certain. That there
IL any such condition throughout tha
empire as the Standard depicts IS
moonshine. The wish has been father
to the thought. and the Interpretation
OF perfectly natural conditions has been
made by an intense national prejudice
rather than by any logical process.