The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-06-02
LOOK AT HOME.
Why..Decry Russia for Conditions
that Exist in This Country.
A Riot In st. Petersburg Is No Better or
Worse than a Riot in the City of
Chicago. We have Had More
Presidents Assassinated
than Russian Cars.
than Russian Cars.

as we pass GDTOuSn lie many UnlQRS
happen which we do not appear to see
things that are important and
which affect nations. Then, we only
too often fail to see ourselves as others
see US, add to that that we are liable
to get into grooves and wear them SO
deep that we cannot see from their
bottom what is going on around us.
1t has been and is the custom In
the United States to damn Russia for
every thing without rhyme or reason
at times; and to magnify many times
every happening there that tends to
injure Russia, be the happening small
or large.
We have had magnificent oppor-
tunity to witness that spirit in what
the press and people have to say about
the war between Japan and Russia,
and every little labor trouble that the
wires have called to our attention.
am not setting myself up as an
apologist for the government CT Rus
sia, nor as defender Of its people;
neither do intend to ccnsure either.
My 'im is to simply point 4 moral by
Little comparison between that coun.
try and the United States.
Every strike and every row in Rus
sia is at once heralded to the outside
world as rising of the people for the
purpose Of OverChrOwing its govern
ment. The cruelty Of the govern
ment is no doubt greatly magnitied in
like manner. The ruler OF Russia is
pictured as standing in hourly fear of
assassination; and every time an
Official Is assassinated it is put down
as an attempt to overthrow the gov.
ernment. 1t has about reached that
point where thinking people put little
faith in those accounts.
In order to become fair judges we
must see ourselves as we are. Then
we will be in position to judge Rus
sia.
1t must be remembered that there
are bad men in every country
who are not happy unless they are
creating strife, anarchists, commun.
lists, socialists and other brands. We
have very large number OF that kind
OF people with US, and Russia seems
to have her fIll share. There is no
doubt about that We must rccollect
that we have lost more presidents than
Russia has lost rulers by assassination
We have continual strikes and riots
with bloodshed just as Russia has, but
the methods Of the strikers or rioters
are somewhat ditTerent.
President Lincoln was assassinated; ;
AMI 80 were Presidents Garfield and
Mckinley; ana tho person OF Pre;i-
dent Roosevelt has to be watched aud
guarded by trained secret service men
all the time to protect him against tie
very class that in Russia sec ks the life
Of Nicholas. Does all of that mean
that the people Of Russia as wei! as
those or the United States are op
pressed by the head Of those govern
ments? Are we TO understand that
bloody strikes and the 8sSas ipation Of
our presidents are cons piracies against
our government any more than the
same happenings in Russia should
be so styled? We must apply the
same rule in both counbrits
We have in the United States al
most continual strikes and labor trou.
bles; SO has Russia. The amount TO
riots here as well as in Russia, why
not give them the same Classification
In both Countries? They are too well
known here TO require d list OF them
with the particulars in each case
But l will call attention 10 the strikes
when President Cleveland had to send
United States troops to quell them,
and one that is now In progress in
the city OF Chicago, the taamstGrs'
strike. Among other things the pa
pers convey the informe tion that the
citizens OF Cliclgo asked for state
troops to Quell the rioting: drivers Of
wagons had TO go armedd with armed
policemen accompanying them. On
May 4th more than half hundred
were hurt in all day rioting: on May
9th 1t was said that the troops would
be ordered out us the number Of strik
ers was increasing and the public
peace threatened; on the same day
murdeTOuS aSSaul is were made on tie
negroes who had baen brought into
the city TO take the places OF the
striking teamsters; on May Josh,
while President Roosevelt was in the
city, the riotiDg continued almost IN
his very presence; and on May IL n
the strikers, the press informs us, lad
poisoned some of tho horses. No man
can tell where 1t will end
III these things had happened in
Russia what an outcry would have
been raised by the press and people OF
this supposedly free country Of ours.
Before condemning Russia in that
way, maEniiying every event many,
many times, had we not better throw
aside some OF our prejudices and
climb out Of our old aud deep ruts,
and take calm survey Of home az
fairs?
1t seems that the peorir Of Russia
have not as much Supposed freedom
as We are supposed to have: but, we
do not enjoy the same tranquility
that the people OF England do. or
the three govcrnmeutS, that Of Eng
land, to judge by results is the best
at least, so far as assassinatlons
strikes and riots with boodshed are
con ncerned.
Russia has many problems to con.
front and so have VIC. They are Scri.
GUS ones, too. Just now we have con
fronting us several dangers, and
among them may be mentioned the
great and increasing power OF our
money barons and lords The increas.
ing number Of violence Of labor riots.
the two foregoing bsirg styled con
flict between labor and capital: the
proper regulation OF the governments
OF our large cities; the li3cking to this
country Of ali classes Of European i'm
migrants including anarchists, com
munistS, socialists and tie like: the
great strides that are being made to.