The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1905-02-10

gathering in the largest country in the
world. The period of revolution will
cover as many years as that of France
and probably more
With the history of the French rev.
olutioE still a field of battle which none
can tread without emotion, DR.. Steiner
| is careful to base his prediction on well
| grounded reasons. He has studied
Russia as best he could during his
residence there, and he says
II do not know the interior. No man
/ knows those people or knows what Is
evolving in their minds. If any one
comes with Il message from the dark
and ignorant portions of the country,
he is decever. The actual condi-
tons cannot be learned. but this I do
know: They are being slowly schooled
for Il revolution.
in the country there are 135,000.000
people. over 100000 of them can
neither read nor write. They have no
communication with national life at
the capital. AS is frequently stated,
we know more about what is happen
ing in Russia than the people within
Il few hundred miles of st. Peters,
burg.
but listen. These people are com
ing few al a time to the industrial
centers of the monarchy. 1t is there
they learn the lessons of social democ-
racy, or of powers which the people
should demand from the great white
car They are enlisted in the small
army of intelligent workinsmen who
will be the fathers of the great revolu-
ton in Russia. When they return to
the interior, they take the message
with them. But it is hard to explain
to a man who has always paid Il trib-
ute to the car, that governments are
built by men and cars only allowed
their thrones by the stupidity of the
people. With only six cities in all
|, ,..l>
dustrial centers and schools for revo-
lutionists. it will be Il long time before
the movement is unde. Roadway.
Then will come the intervals of
calm and torpor, then the tempest Will
break out again and one of the great
est revolutions in the history of the
world may be dragged over a two
score of years. or over full four score.
Today is merely the inexperienced be-
ginning, the first disorganized protest
against monarchy.
Great bodies move slowly" con-
tinued DR.. Steiner, and you know Rus
STA Is colossal. The empire Of Rome
would have had to multiply itself by
four to fill the vast country. There
is feeling among the people of the
interior which we cannot understand
The czar is not looked upon by those
ignorant peasants as simply ruler, q
man like themselves who has usurped
their powers. There is an idea of ia :
therhOod allied with of sovereignty
which has grown in their hearts and it
will be years before the idea is up
rooted. a generation perhaps two gen
erations. Their ancestors were ruled
by an autOcrat. Deep in their nature is
the old tribal instinct to look to their
leader, the head of their family OF
tribe, with respect and to bow ir
obedience to him. This exists in the
hearts Of the peasants of Russia today
easy matter"
The Heterogeneous character OF the
people is another difficulty which the
leaders of the Russian revolution vii
encounter in spreading the reactionary
spirit and sowing the seed of their so
cial democracy. Within the land ruled
by the car at least forty different Ian.
Suagcs are spoken. This makes com.
munication of ideas and the progress o.
} any popular movement almost impos
! sible. The leaders have succeeded il
communicating their spirit TO only
small number along the western cOas
! of the country. There is a thin venee
| of the revolutionary spirit in Russia
} just as there is a thin veneer of en-
, lightenment and western civilization
The people will not get the powe
. they demar! in the present crisis,
continued DR.. Steiner. The car will
: feed them platitudes, and not commi
himself to any avOwed policy, but it i
l understood that he will never give tn
people the power they demand. A
least ii is understood by the minister
q and old dukes around him. The Rus
, sian people are diplomats. Though tn
: empire of the cZar is behind Europe i
other things. there is no doubt but tina
+ it is the equal of all Europe when
, comes to diplomacy. The car doesn
+ say things directly. If he wants to ex
4 plain where his left ear is situated h
\ would not raise his left arm to poin
it out, but he would cautiously slip hi
right hand around his head and desig
: nate with ii where the left member
I situated. This policy is pursued by a
j Russians who are intelligent enoug
: 10 know anything, and it is the polio
@ which VII be pursued by the car i
dealing with his own people,"
That the Russian people will not q
+ their demands in the present crisis is sal
: by DR.. Steiner as being settled since tt
appearance of the cars manifesto, an
= the reported resignation of Prince Sviatt
3 polk-Mirsky, the new minister of the il
! terror, who is one of the liberals favo
8 ing the granting of some of the power
h asked by the people. With Prime
a Sviatopolk- Mirsky are such influences
: the press and NJ. Witte, the president
h the council and real head of the liber
r movement; but he biographer of the di
q tinguished Russian count believes the!
a influences amount to nothing when con
q. pared with the reactionary ones about IL
|