The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-08-07
Terrorism in Russia.

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Terrorism in Russia.
We print a51etter In another column In
to-day's paper from n correspondent Gl,o
writes with insight and sympathy from
the standpoint of that part Of Russian.
revolutlonsts. who have chosen terror
ism as the best means, In their judg-
ment. for righting existing wrongs. Our
correspondent is a Russian himself and
has kept In touch as far as an outsider
may Will the literature and aims of the
revolutionary party. This party, iii adj
dition to It's other propa ganda, publishes
two journals knoWns as Revolutionary
Russia, one of which Is printed at Stet-s
tin in Germany, and the other at Geneva
Switzerland. These papers, however, do
not preach assassination. that being the
teaching OF the unknown members OF the
terrorist party. Consider for an instant
tho state of Russia. In many respects
Russia Is as modern as any other country
on earth 1t has railroads, telegraph, tel
ephone stock exchanges, banks. post
offices. arrlies, navies and all the equip
ment OF a modern nation, as far. as the.
eye may see, but the national life of
Russia, the instincts and character of its
people. are overwhelminglym medieval,
The equality of all men before the Law
lis utterly foreign to the Russian theory.
OF government. and what Is far more.
serious the democracy Of intellect, that
at least gives a man a fair chance with.
his fellows to develop and teach truth as
he sees It,. is allysrepressed, Instinct
lively all men with any apacity for pro-
gress reach out for more knowledge and
more opportunity, and equally instinct
lively any regime based on special privi-
leges, such as the old French nobility
before the revolution and the present;
bureaucracy Of Russia, bitterly opposes
the effort to exercise any such rig bit on
the part Of the common people. The: con-
flict between these two tendencies is as
natural and inevitable as the rising
and falling Of the tide, and the pro blenl
that confronts Russia to-day Is how to-
adjust these conflicting claims with the
least possible friction. Naturally the
Car would be the person TO arbitratet
these differences and establish a compre-
hensive plan for the future, but the Car
Is probably utterly uniformed as to the
true state of affairs. He is surrounded
by flattering courtiers, his information
is received through biased channels, from
censored newspapers. and he does not ap-
spear&to be a person of sufficient apa city
or intelligence to think for himself. j IS,
therefore easy to see why the Gear has
as yet been unable to control the turbu-3
lent spirits in Russia, which are calling
on the one hand for more freedom and
on the other for more repression, On the
other hand 1t is not difficult even for.
an American to understand why the mid
milton regard the slaycrs Of such men as
Sipiaguine and Won Plehve as patriots of
the highest type. Nevertheless, history
shows that sporadic assassination has not
and cannot accomplish anything. AS We
recently said. the hope of Russia is In
liIe suSNSlOpIAtSHlS d CldSS. EO
until that's done there will be no firm
basis on which new conditions could be.
placed IL :the whole existing government
would be blown up at once, The problem
before Russia is to develop a middle class
that will both know how and be able
to develop itself. When this class is once
obtained Russia Will have maze long
step towards solving the questions which
lie before IL n ow. In the meantime pa
triots who have been driven 10 dcspcra-
ton will doubtless continue their inetfcct-
ual assassination OF the narrow-minded,
graspng and hard-hearted officials with
out any marked effect on the existing
state OF public affairs. But with mid
die class, proud of itself and feeling its
own power, the world may see a repeti-
marked the French revolution. 1t shou.u
be remembered that the regeneration OF
France was not accomplished by the
reign of terror, but by the elevation OF
the masses, which was the direct result
Of Napolcon's Imperial democracy and
the part mat the PeoPie tooh III us "oh
derful victories. II was not the guillotlne.
but the making OF marechal of France
! like alurat out OF a stable boy that
chagcd l.le social and political life OF
France. Something that will arouse and
elevate the masses Of Russia Is neces-
sary. rather than the execution OF a few
oppTessors.
1t will be by revolution and not by as
sassinatlon that Russia's future and free
dom must be obtained.
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The Blackeyed Pea.
A week or more ago, the following
paragraph appeared IN this column: