The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1905-11-02

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Graat wars make and unmake grea
men. The gigapuc conflicts Of his
tory have furnished both opportunit,
and need for the Pompeys and Charlie
magnes and Williams or Orange tn,
Nelson's and wellingtons. the Wash
ingtons and Grants, whose sword fash
ings have Illuminated the path of Lib
erty. Bismarck found his fame in the
wars that made Germany a united
constitutional monarchy. And so
through aIl time, wars have given
great men room and reason to exer
lcise their greatness.
When Russia was encroaching upon
Manchuria and massacring the Jews
at Kishiney many figures stood out
prominently IN Russian politics. but
when Jdanchurian encroachment
brought on foreign war and grand
ducal tyranny at home brought dosn
revolution, the shadows changed with
lightning-like rapidity and there stood
out single mighty figure silhouetted
against the curtain we call contempt.
rary history. As he held up his hands
his country prevailed. and as they fell
her armies were forced back. Conse-
quently to this man an unwilling mon.
arch was compelled to appeal when.
his armies, conquered and his fleets
destroyed the problem of the nation
became one, not Of war, but Of settling
as advantageously as possible the
terms Of a singing defeat.
So Witte was brought from semi.
obscurity into the lime light. The
world watched him with interest. even
before II became apparent that he was
the only man capable Of saving his
country. When he was appointed peace
commissioner interest in him was
doubled. When he wrested a diplo-
matte victory out OF a military de
feat the world caught its breath with
wonder. And now, honored for what
he has done with powers that win en-
able him to do vastly mors, he is Crap
pling with the red torch OF revoiu.
tion at home.
Standing between the czar and au.
tocrauc power on the one hand and
the mob. drunk with anarchistic VIC
lence, or The other, W,tte is the only
man in all Russia in whom both sides
have supreme confidence The grand
dukes have SUNK into oblivion. The
czar is playing a secondary part, and
speaking when Witte gives him his
cue. Tie former leaders OF the popu.
lace, the Tolstois and Gapons, are no
longer heard from. The people are
surging through the streets, torch in
hand, shrieking for the relief and re.
forms which only Witte can give them.
II is a dramatic moment, but il is
more than dramatic. 4 is epoch-mak-
ing. Now, as never &efore, Russia
needs a firm hand and a clear brain
and a large heart enthroned at Peter
hof. And nov. at crisis brought on
by the japanese war and heightened
by a civil war, the greatest man Of
he century in Russia stands in the
stead and exercises the
power his emperor has conferred on
lim And through the present crisis. |
through a bloody war II war must /
come, Witte will continue TO be the |
dominant figure, the guiding and con.
rolling hand. 10 his country's anairs.
rhe government may fail. Indeed, II
{ had not yielded as It did Monaday,
{ is certain that It must have fallen
l constitutional monarch. with
'owerful parliament. must take It's
lace But whatever the form OF gov
rnment and whatever the outcome Of
he present storm, the world has seen
nough already 70 be convinced that
'ount Witte VIII bring his people and
rs land through in ultimate safety.
nd that the peace-maker will be the
onstitution maker ana the first chan
ellor OF the new government. For
'itte Is guiding the destiny OF Russia
ist now He is the Russian Bismarck.