The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1905-12-13
IN THE RUSSIAN EMPIRE
The Great "Blaek Masses" Numbering
Eighty Per Cent of Russia's Populs.
tion, Still Believe in the Little
Father" and wouldFight for Him.

impossible in the present confusion I
clearly outline various political force
which are struggling for mastery il
Russia, the foreign student OF Russial
affairs can with profit bear in min'
the general party divisions as at pres
ent constituted perhaps first of all il
the order of Importance, is the part.
of Reaction, not at court, but among
the mobiles. who believe in the old regi
me and among the great mass OF peas
antry, who still believe that all good
flows from the Title father" and the
church and who continue extremely hos
tile TO their inteligencia, which is re-
garded as part of the machinery for
their oppression.
The "black masses" the term by
which the peasantry, who comprise so
per cent of Russia's l40,O70O0o people,
are known, can at any time turn the
scale. The peasantry may rise, burn
and pillage and murder Landlords, but
there is no evidence that the allegiance
of more than an infinitissimal traction
has yet turned against the emperor. In
skilful hands they. therefore, always
will constitute an immense force in ia.
vor of counter revolution.
There are two parties under which
the peasantry might eventually be en-
listed and which may be said to make
up the extreme right, consisting OF those
who win never forgive the emperor for
abrogating his autocratie power. They
talk of the necessity of deposing Mich
olas and electing new emperor, Prince
Dolgorouki OF Moscow, one OF the des-
cendents of the Ruriks. is their ayowed
candidate.
One of these parties was organized
last April by Baron Gorge Rosen Lagen-
ika and Others who are in favor Of
sustaining the autocracy.
The issue of the imperial manifesto,
another party called the Holy Alliance
for National Self Protection has been
organized under the leadership of Count
Bobrinsky and NJ. Sherematieff. 1t
summons all true sons of Holy Russia
to battle -'fOr the teachings OF Christ,
the emperor and the Fatherllnd-' All
the church banner bearers OF Moscows
500 churches, who alone number 100000
have been enrolled in its ranks.
These parties might eventually sus-
tain military dictatorship against the
revolutionary. forces.
Immediately to the left of this party
Of reaction might be placed the mode
rate conservatives, who support Count |
Nitte in the introduction OF a new regi |
me. They comprise the C, hserratiye
Zemstvo elements under the leader
ship of Dmitri Shipoff, VI. Guchkoff,
and Michael Stakovich, and they have
two parties called respective
ly the League of October Thirtieth,'
and the PARTY of Law and Order"
with the Novoe Vremya and tine >lovo
as their organ.. Their platform call,
for the realization OF the reforms prom
ised for the integrity OF the empire and
for strong central government.
More radical still i, the group Of
parties between supporters OF Count
Witte and the social-demOcrlts These
parties include the constitutional Demo.
erats, the successors Of the empanicpa-
tion league. the radical wing Of the
Zemstvoists. 1t j. in the demands for
d constituent assembly, but universal
direct and secret ballot, but, it. mem
bers differ among themselves a. to
whether women shall have the right to
rote and as to whether the parliament
shall have one or two chambers. The
Russ, the Novosti, and the Bourse ga
zete are it, spokesman.
Now comes the parties favoring the
complete overthrow of the government
the Social Democrats, radical Demo.
trats. Social Revolutionaries, and an
lrchists. The former. by far the best
is in favor. first, of
Democratic republic, and later for the
attainment of the dread Of a regime Of
socialism. The radical Demo-
rats form a connecting link with the
Social Revolutionaries. Their program
includes a Democratic republic, with a
Jingle parliamentary chamber, mini,t-
rs elected from the majority Of the
-arious nationalities, full autonomy, the
brogation OF all titles and ranks and
he extension Of suffrage to women.
The Social Revolutionaries also want