The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-06-02
I. 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 ph>S;,, r,orc
than Russian Cars.

things that are important and
which Affect nations. Then, we only
too often fail to seq ourselves as others
see US, add to that that we are liable
to get into grooves and wear them SC
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 censure either.
My aim is to simply point moral by
little comparison between that coun.
try and the United States.
Every strike and every row in Rus
Sia Is at once heraded to the outside
world as rising Of the people for the
purpose OF overuhrowing its govern
ment. The cruelty of the govern
ment Is no doubt greatly magnified 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.
t,0 nt, III,
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 4 position to Judge Rus.
Si3.
1t must be remembered that there
are bad men in every c0uutry-men
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 flll share. There is no
doubt about that. We must recollect
THAT we have lost more presidents than
Russia has lost rulers by assassination.
we have continual strikes and riots
with bloodsled just as Russia has, but
the methods Of the strikers or rioters
are somewhat different.
President Lincoln was assassinated:
an1 SO were Presidents Garfield and
Mckinley; and the person OF Pre;i
dent Roosevelt has to be watched aud
guarded by trained secret service men
all the time TO protect him against the
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 OF the United States are op
pressed by the head Of those govern
ments? Are we to understand that
bloody strikes and the asias. ipation OF
our presidents are cons ptacies against
our government any more than the
same happenings in Russia should
be SO styled? We must apply the
same rule in both countries
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 list OF them
with the particulars IN each case
But | will call attention TO the strikes
when President Cleveland had to send
Un1ted States troops to quell them,
anu one lhaU Is now In progress in
the city Of Chicago, the Transfers
Strike. Among other things the pa-
pers convey the information that the
citizens OF CliclgO asked for state
troops to Quell the rioting; drivers Of
wagons had to go armedd with armed
poiicemen accompanying them. On
May ith more than half hundred
were hurt in all day rioting: on Nav
9th 1t was said that the troops would
be ordered out as the number OF strik
ers was increasing and the public
peace threatened; on the same day
murderous assaults were made on tie
negroes who had been brought into
the City 10 take the places OF the
striking teamsters; on May lOth,
while President Roosevelt was in the
city, the riotirg continued Almost IN
his very presence; and on May 18Th
the strikers. the press informs us, had
poisoned some Of tho horses. No man
can tell where 1t will end
If those things had happened in
Russia what an outcrv would have
been raised by the press and people OF
this supposedly free country of ours
Before condemning Russia in that
way, naEnifying every event many.
many times, Lad we not better throw
aside some OF our prajudices and
climb cut Of our old aud dsep ruts,
and take calm survey Of home ar
fairs?
1t seems that the peoric OF Russia
nave not as much e'.pposed freedom
as "e are supposed to have; but. we
DO not enjoy the sam tranquility
that the people OF England do. or
The three governments, that Of Eng
land, to Judge by resull3 IS the best
at least, SO far as assassinations.
strikes aud riots With bloodshed are
Russia has many problems to con.
front and 20 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 a con
llct between labor and capital: the
proper regulation OF the governments !
)f our large cities; the nlCking TO this
country Of ali classes Of European i'm. /
migrants including anarchists, com ,
nuniSts, socialists and tie like: tile :
sreat strides That are being made to. !,
yard centraliz government. all -
4 in ri .,.F,