The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-12-13
A Lesson in Manners.

{. States. The question Is whether or not
4 an invitation shall BIO sent. to Governor
vardaman. Of mississippi.
we are surprised that there should be
any question In tho minds of the COM
igittee on this score. 1t is true that Gov-
ernor Vardaman has been discourteous
E TO President Roosevelt, and The Times
Z Dispatch has joined with Southern news
Il papers and repre- sentative Southern citi-
zens in rebuking him for his, churlish-,
I. ness. But Mr.. Vatdnman is the Cover
nor of an honorable State, and it.woul6
J, DO an objectionable breach OF etiquette
for the inaugural committee 4 Q fail to
invite him in his official capacity when
invitations are sent to otho: Governors.
i The real question that arises Is this:
Shall the committee be discourteous be-
cause Governor Vnrdaman5 has been dis
co,trteous? There is but one answer
to that question, in the view Of all polite
n men, No man and no body or men ever
go wrong in doing the polite; thing, and
they always go wrong in doing the inpo-
lite thing b. u If h III a 81.
i In all questions Of courtesy m erals, JUS.
ticc, or wbat not a man should consider
lis own conduct ana not that Of the
person with whom he is 2dealiuE II the
other fellow is simpolte{ orr Unfair Or I'M
i Just, or in any way delinquent. That is his
affair; but II you are impolite or. unjust
or unfair, or in any way delinquent in
your treatment Of him, that is your affair
Every conscientious, right-thinkng man
| settles all his disputes with himself to-
the satisfaction of his own conscience,
| utterly regardless Of the conduct Of the
person with whom he is dealing. He can
not afford to be discourteous because the
ether fellow is discourteous. nor unfair,
Or unjust because the other fellow is,
1 unfair or unjust. 1t would be far
4 greater rebulte to Governor Vardaman
for tho inaugural committee to ignore his
churlishncss and to deal politely with
| hanGto adopt Governor Vardaman's
code of ethics. and, on account of his de-
! linquency, offer an afhront to the whole
state OF Mississippi 4. "A
1 Af# 4--------==---a
The St. Petersburg Riots.
4 On November oath, in discussing the
meeting of$5tlle Russian Democracy and
their dccluratiopasof s:;tndependcnte. We
said: III
4 The Gear. Is ,an al,tocrat, and he may
| throw#thlsi petition&conten,ptu aside,
I but he will do so at his peril, Els sub
jects, or at l least a, goody portion Of
them, are thoroughly aroused. and this
is the beginning of Il new order OF things
| IN, 10 . ,.nv ,,t ior ic oh
With the consent Of the Gear it will be-
q revolution ofspeace; with TIE defiance
or the Gar It will be u revolution OF
| force" 1884
How well founded was that prediction
let the report OF the recent riot in st.
Petersburg speak. The demonstration
was the outgrowth Of the following
proclamation OF tic Il social Democratic
Labor party:
4 I'VE have raised oprayoiccs calling for
i better things Int the government has
4 turned n deaf Gar to our cry. We day
/ TO day draw out il laborious existence, a
condition worse than convicts, while they
convert millions into smoke and sacrifice
/ thousands Of workmen's lives under in
| competent generals. We are shedding
I our blood for our torturers. while they
are entering into shameless bargains with
/ wealthy, landlords. Enough, vs. cannot
endure it longer. Nye must arise ana
/ boldly proclaim that we want ar end Of
war, and government by representa-
tlycs Of tho people. G. Y.
! &tLong 1.-Two the Social Democracy! Down
with the war! Down with aatocracy!'
/ The riot, which followed. was In the
main tho demonstration ofsalot of ire
sponsibles students, and conservative
zemtsvoists arc rcgrettlng that the riot
occ,irred.s But the zcmtsvoists arc by no
means content with the Cars course
ciated Press correspondent at st. Peters
burg says that n letter was recently re-
ccived there from a prominent zemstvolst
In Southern Rlssia, In which tho writer
u says:
"rhe optimism with which we left ST.
Petersburg Is beginning to vanish. Tho
\ government Is not showing a disposition
to meet ua half way and enter frankly
on tho path Of reform On the contrary.
there seems TO be hesitation ms To Wheth-
err 1t would not he better to return to the
path OF reaction. The government seems
unable to comprehend the real state OF
popular feeling, the importance Of de-
csiye action, and 4 he disastrous consc-
4 quences OF procrastinution,t Tie people
Z Of this province are in 4 state OF great
excitement, Large meetings have taken
place in many towns and very specific
. resolutions have been adopted, but the
bad feature of the situation Ii the attlr
tude Of the Worliingmen'"
!. The Russian Democracy is aroused, and
4 the Gear must reckon with it, The peo-
nile who are. demanding popular govern
ment may not be prepared for il. j may
} be stated positively that they are not
prepared for il, for they have not been
/ trained in the art Of seIl-goyernment,
: They have been ruled by autocracy and
they have had no part in amy of the af-
J fairs Of government except TO obey the
. a " ill1lA ,uf.la Illulla. FOR ON