Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1905-11-01
TIE czARs CONFESSIONS.

Count Witte, as the representative Of
the moderate element among the Rus
sian people, has achieved a far greater
victory for his country than he won In
the peace negotiations with Japan. In
inducing the car to make the conces-
festo the most distinguished of contem-
porary Russian statesmen has vastly in
creased his claim TO the esteem and
gratitude Of his countrymeh and to the
admiration of the world. There is yet
much to be done before the great work
Count Witte has undertaken is consum-
mated. Such a change from an auto
cratic government as is contemplated in
the manifesto OF the emperor cannot be
accomplished in a day. But 1t can be
very confidently predicted that there will
be no backward step, no receding from
the position announced.
That position was taken with great
reluctance. 1t is nearly a year since
pledges were given to the people that
they should BE relieved of some of the
more oppressive features of autocratic
rule. None Of these pledges has been
fully carried out, not because it was
not practicable to fulfill them, but for tho
reason that the car chung to the belief,
encouraged by his advisors, that the peo-
pie would after a brief period of agita-
ton abandon their demands and allow
the old state of things to continue. Re
cent events have shown the fallacy of
this view. They have demonstrated the
deep-seated purpose of the people to
obtain the civic rights and the political
encouraged by his advisers, that the peo-
pie of other civilized nations. The up
rising of the last few weeks forced the
car to see the futility and danger of
longer postponing the concessions asked
for. While the announcement of radical
reforms has been very generally re-
ceived with enthusiastic approval, there
is reported to be some distrust, quite
natural in view of the governments past
course. There is very good reason to
believe, however, that there will be no
further attempt to deceive the people.
They have given a manifestation of
their determination and their power
which has made a lasting impression
upon those in authority. A new era for
Russia is dawning and 1t will bring to
that nation greater progress and pros
~ no bos
II is undoubtedly true that the Rus
sian people as a whole are not now pre-
pared for that measure of liberty which
is enjoyed by the British or the German
people. They are not homogeneous.
Illiteracy is widespread. The millions
of peasants are not only ignorant and
impoverished, but they have never
shown any real ambition to better their
condition. Such a people are not fitted
for freedom as 1t is understood by
Americans and Englishmen. If given
the liberty which our people have they
undoubtedly would abuse it. The con-
cessions made by the car therefore go
as far as can safely be done at this
time. 1t is very decided advance and
there will be some to question whether
II does not grant more than is at present
safe and judicious Less, however,
probably would not have satisfied the
intelligent element of the people or
availed to stop the agitation which has
compelled the car to surrender his
autocratic power. There is contained
in this the promise that Nicholas ii. will
be the last of the czars.