Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1905-01-23
THE RUSSIAN CRISIS.

The London Times, editorially refer
ring to the terrible events Of yesterday
at St. Petersburg, says: "With our
present information tits quite impossible
to gauge the importance of these events.
They would be grave at moment when
the country, whose capital they convulse,
is engaged in great disasters of war at
the farthermost extremity OF Asia. They
prove the existence of widespread and
profound discomfort among the working
classes of st. Petersburg, for no socialist
intrigue and harangues could have led
thousands of workingmen to confront
death unless they we're convinced their
lives under the autocracy had become
unbearabe. How far the discomfort
may extend throughout other cities OF
Russia and into the rural districts we
have little means of ascertaining. The
gravity of the situation depends on fac
tors with which we are at preseut unac-
quainted." Such phrases as these ex-
tracted from editorial articles in the
London morning newspapers, sufficiently
indicate the opinion held of yesterdays
events in st. Petersburg: "Reyolt
has been qnelled, but-revolutlon
begun. TIE bureaucracy has de-
clared its policy; it is the policy
of Blagoyestchenk-massacre The
inevitable reaction has begun, and
with it new chapter iD Russia's his
tory, and probably also in the history
Europe and Asia. "The revolutionary
movement in Russia has received its
baptism of blood its crown OF martyr
DOM" 'Is there Mirabeau or even
Danton in Russia today" A
very grave responsibility lies today
at the door of the Gar, who has failed
to grasp his unique opportunity"
ssThe little father has become the muir
derer of his people, and it remains with
him to save the country from disaster.
Even at the eleventh hour he may do
so, but only by recognizing that autoc-
racy has gone forever"
1t is pointe out that the fate of Russia
does not depend upon the people of ST.
Petersburg alone, but on the masses
throughout the country and it is con-
sidered that the events OF recent months
connected with the agitation for consti-
tutional reform sufficiently attest tho
peoples temper.
The news of the bloody events IN st.
Petersburg has caused a profound sensa-.
ton in Paris. The newspapers issued
special editions throughout the evening,
giving dramatic details of the street
fighting, and these were eagerly read
and discussed in the boulevards, at the
theatres and in other public places, the
tragedy being the universal subject OF
comment The Temps st. Petersburg
special correspondent last night made a
graphic comparison between the position
OF Emperor Nicholas III. aud King Louis
XVI. on the eve of the Reign OF Terror.
After careful analysis of the situation,
the correspondent concludes that most OF
the military forces Of Russia will remain
loyal to the Emperor, although he tore
sees prospects of some OF the artillery
regiments playing the same role that the
regiment of the French guards took on
the fall of the Bastile at the outbreak oil
the Freuch revolution. The correspon-
dent also points out that Emperor
Nicholas withdrawal to Tsarskoe Selo
places 81 kilometers between him and
| the excited populace.