Arizona republican., 1905-02-19
The Reign of Terror In Russia.

Until the tragedy in Moscow on Fri day afternoon, the Russian terrorists had murdered no member of the lm- perial family since that Sunday after non in March, 1881, when a bomb thrown under the carriage of AleXan- der II tore the body of the emperor to fragments In the years intervening between the assassination of Alexander and the murder of Grand Duke Ser gius, a formidable list of high Russian officials had been sacrificed, however To go back no further than year the high victims of the revolutionists comprise Sipiaguine and de Plehve' ministers of the interior, Bobrikoff. governor general of Finland, and Soin- enen. Finnish procurator general.
 And in taking the life of Sergius, the terrorists could not have aimed higher without taking Nicholas himself. In deed. Sergius was more actually the ruler of Russia than was the emperor Chief of the reactionary group of grand dukes, uncle and brother-inlaw of the czar and governor of Moscow, he had exercised a despotic sway over the mind of his nephew, except when, as has occasionally happened, the imper- ial weakling was momentarily infiuen- ced by liberal counselors. Sergius and Vladimir have stood for the traditional despotism of the throne, and they have had the advantage which brains and strength of character always give.
 It does not argue callousness to such hideous crimes, or approval of assassi- nation under any circumstances, that the civilized world will hear the news from Moscow with considerable indiff- erence. Conditions in Russia are un- derstood we'll enough abroad to permit foreigners to have intelligent opinions concerning Russian issues. And the conclusion is inevitable that the Ro- manoff dynasty is standing stubbornly as an obstruction to civilization, and can expect nothing better than it is getting Well balanced people rec ognize that assassination is not wea- pon for civilization. but the Russian terrorists are not mentally balanced. They have become fanatics of a single idea-the idea of red-handed OppOsi- tion to the government. So long as the autocracy continues to sow dragons teeth in. the form of tyrannical rule, it must expect a harvest of assassins. This, with shrug of the shoulders, is bound to be the attitude of the world in gen eraI if the Romanoff family persists in governing one-hundred million people according to the barbaric ideals of the dark ages.
 The criticism of the foreign press has forced the grand ducal cabal to take notice of tie worlds jury, and ever since the massacre of the work ingmen in St. Petersburg last month, there have been frequent explanations from high quarters. Grand Duke Vlad- imir has given out interviews on two or three occasions, pointing out that the Russian people are not capable of of ruling themselves and that autocracy is the only solution. Such statements merely evade the issue. Nobody pre- tends that the Russians in the mass are. on can be. fit for the task of self government while they are kept in in tellectual darkness and told by inn periaI authority to obey a fanatical clergy They would be more ready for the experiment of representative government one thousand years hence than they are now. The Romanoffs are the Bourbons of today. They are even more blind to the advance of civ iIization than was the governing family of France-for the guillotine applied tc Louis XVI did convince the remaining 3ourbons that they were not the state Nicholas and his uncles and cousins can expect no sympathy from the world while they mulishly refuse tc grant any real reforms to the Russian people.
 Nobody can predict where or wher the present era of terrorism will end It has been accented, of course. by the unpopular war with Japan and the do- rnestic evils which have followed 1T the wars train. prompt peace witl Japan might lead the terrorists to sub side, but nothing else can les sen the growing cloud of an archy. The crazed state O minds of the assassins is proof of thu desperate intentions of the revolution ary group. Upon perpetrating tn murders the appointed assassins follow the human instinct and try to escape but when caught they glory in thei deeds They are chosen by lot to mur der high officials. and they go to thei "duty" with the spirit of martyrs.