The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-08-28
THE HEIR TO RUssrA,s GROWN.

The birth of a baby has rarely been the cause of so many benefactions be- ing showered upon a peocle, as the birth of the Czarovitch has brought to Russia. It has been known for a long time that the imperial family and the Russian people were anxiously await ing the arrival of man child to en- sure the succession to the crown in the male line and it is equally we'll known how grievously disappointed everybody throughout the Empire was. as women children continued to put in their appearances. Whatever the fortunes that are before the latest conner. who bears the name of Alexan- der, a name not of the best omen-his christening will forever remain a mem orable circumstance in the history of the child's country.
 now has a male heir. or whether the great changes that are threatened in the internal life of Russia owing to the war with Japan, the Czar has thrown d big handful of remissions of fines and punishments to his subjects. Corporal punishment which is one of the com monest features of rural life In Russia and with them that has meant the dreadful knout, is to be abolished out right and in the army and navy 1t may not. be inflicted for first offense. In the enormous changes that have gone on in iandholdings since the abolition of serfdom, there has piled up great debts owing the state, and these are cancelled outright. A handsome sum is set apart for landless people in Fin land and such of the Films as have left | without authority of law are granted amnesty. In America where we are so thoroughly accustomed to seeing men | come and men go, when and where | they please. renouncing allegiance on | assuming a new one. we can hard ly realize the concession there is in 1 fact in this last bit of renunciation by 1 the Czar's government. Russia like Turkey has never agreed to the mod ern doctrine that a native can at his | own pleasure disown fealty to the | state; and out of this ruling has grown practically all of our troubles with Americanized Armenian and Russian Jews who venture to set foot once more | on the soil where they were born. Both the Hebrews and the Films come in for a charity as to fines they
 have incurred in resisting the enforce
 ment of the military conscription acts | all political offenders unless in cases
 where a murder has been committed
 are given a general amnesty and a 1 provisional pension system Is inaugu-
 rated for the widows and orphans oi | officers and men who have been killed
 during the war now raging.
 This last will seem odd in America
 too. We do things very differently
 Forty years, nearly, after our civil war
 we have a pension list of one million people and pay out to these about one
 and one-half hundreds of millions ot | dollars annually, our veterans and the
 widows of veterans costing the people an amount in excess of the expenses oi
 Germany's entire military establish
 ment.
 There Is nothing in the numerou:
 christening gifts of the Czar tha'
 would indicate he is looking to any or
 ganic reforms in Russia. If Japlr | succeeds in giving Russia a thorough
 ly sound drubbing, it will be who'll!
 unlike the history of any other coun try the world has ever known. if tn,
 defeat is not followed by an extended
 and change producing agitation among tho people of Russia themselves
 Even Czars are not all-powerful an'
 Czars even may be compelled to lister
 to reason at times.