Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-23
S|A'SSTORMYDAYS
Popular Uprisings Have Over
thrown Rulers.
CzAR'S LIFE AT STAKE
SKETCH OF REIGNING HOUSE OF
RoMANoFF SINCE 1913.
Prophecy of Count Leo Tolstoi Made
Several Years Ago--Strikes Signif-
cant Sign Of the Times.
CZAR'S LIFE AT STAKE


calls attention to the fact that Russia has
already been the scene of two great revo-
lutions. The first popular uprising oc
Cured in 1880. when Peter II was deposed
and Catherine placed on the throne. Again
in 1852 there was a revolution that grew
out of the tyranny of the regning house
of Romanoffs that threatened to terminate
their rule.
In this second uprising Peter III was
forced to abdicate the throne, and the
revolutionists crowned Catherine IL in his
place. Her reign was hardly less stormy
than that of the ruler who had been
dragged from the throne and murdered.
The country was in a constant state OF
semi-revolution, and in 1774 the Cossacks
entered into an open rebellion which lasted
a year before the ruler succeeded in bring
ing them into subsection.
History tells of many revolutions among
the nations of the world. The first about
which there is anything like definite record
was the fall of the Roman empire and the
establishment OF the republic on its ruins
by Julius Caesar in AZ B. C. The next
great revolution was in 331 B. c., when the
Macedonian empire supplanted the Persian
on the defeat of Darius Codomanus by
Alexander the Great.
For more than two hundred years the
world lived in comparative peace, but in
SO B. c. there came the third historic revo-
luton in which the great Assyrian empire
was destroyed, and in it's wake came the
nation of the Medes and Persians, which
the work of Cyrus the Great. In 500
A. d. the spirit of revolution swept over
Europe and the empire Of the western
Franks began under Charlemagne.
AL Have Revolutions.
In the centuries that have followed not a
nation on the globe has escaped a revoIu-
ton. Portugal was shaken by one in 1910,
and England experienced her first serious
one in 1775, when the American colonies re-
volted, and in 1916 came the Declaration Of
Independence. England had experienced
another revolution in 1858 that was fraught
with consequences nearly as great as those
resulting from the revolt of her American
colonies. In that great popular uprising
there was such a demand for reforms that
the crown could not resist it with the back
ing of armies
One of the creates rebellons in the
history of the world was that of 1860 to
1865 in the United States.
Count Tolstoi's Prophecy.
In a letter written to the car three years
ago, when he believed he was about to die
Count Leo Tolstoi said the governments
policy in suppressing the spiritual and ma
terial liberties of the people would have dire
results. Here is one excerpt bearing on the
future from the letter:
Everywhere, both in the towns and in
dustrial centers, troops are concentrated
and sent out with loaded cartridges against
the people.
In many places fratricidal conflicts have
already taken place. and everywhere such
are being prepared, and new and yet more
cruel struggles will inevitably occur"
Count Tolstoi has decried all wars, de-
claring that there never was a good one
| H is equally emphatic against revolutions,
and his tone in addressing his Dear Broth
err the emperor, is all in sorrow not in
anger; a warning, not threat. If the re-
cent memorial of the people to the car is
studied in comparison with Tolstois letter,
| it will be seen that the present uprising
| grows out of denial of the very requests
| that Tolstoi made for the masses. Epito-
| mixed, those of Te]stoi were:
"First-The working people desire to be
| delivered from special laws that place them
| in the position of pariah deprived of all
! the rights of other citizens.
"Second-They desire, freedom of removal
| from place to place, freedom of education,
| freedom of conscience and, above all, free
| dom in the use OF the land, the abolition of
| the right of landed property"
Concerning the latter reform, Tolstoi
wrote: ~
| Il also think that this measure would un-
| doubtedly destroy all that socialistic and
revolutionary irritation which is now
| spreading among the workers and is likely
\ to be of the greatest danger to both the
government and Lie people,.
Blaming the emperor's advisers for their
Strenuous and cruel activity in seeking to
| arrest the eternal progress of mankind :"
Tolstoi wrote: II :,
But one can SOONER arrest the flow of a
| river than incessaht progressive movement
| of mankind whichlis established by God.
by measures Of coercion one can op-
press people, but not rule them. The only
| means in our time to- rule the people, in
| deed, is placing ones self at the head of the
| movement of the people from evil to good,
| from darkness to light; to lead them to
the attainment of the objects nearest to
| this end"
| Cars Life at Stake.
! A cable from Paris last night says: 1.-THE
strikes in st. Petersburg and elsewhere, a
significant sign of the times, are controlled
by socialist committees said Mr. Semenoff
| Russian Hebrew, formerly a correspond
| emit for the Novosk and now the leading
| writer for an international political review
| on European events.
/ 1.-THE car must see the handwriting or
| the wall. II he does not grant constitu.
ton he will endanger the dynasty.
Even the liberals and socialists are de.
| handing constitution, showing dispose
ton to accept a car If equal rights arr
| accorded. But IL they are refused tn,
! movement will become revolutionary and
republican, especially II the car listens t.
the counsels of the pracuror of the hol!
Il synod and Grand Due Sergtus.
! TT IL significant that the strike wa