New-York tribune., 1905-11-18
THE WOES OF RUSSIA.

The Car is suffering the penalty of delay, and
all Russia is suffering with him. The mind goes
back to that momentous Sunday in January last
when the people of the capital focked to the i'm
perial palace for a sight Of and a word from
their Little Father" They were met with rifle
bullets That volley, as much as Napoleon's
'whff Of grape" dictated history. Had the
Car received them in the spirit in which they
came TO him, had he showed himself to them, as
Sured them Of his interest in them and granted
them one tithe of what he has since offered, they
would have been amply satisfied and would
have gone away confirmed in their loyalty. But
he did not do so. He sent his soldiers-or per-
mitted them to be sent-to shoot the people
down. Those bullets killed human beings; but
they also did more; they killed autocracy. The
people had assembled with cries Of Long live
Nicholas" They dispersed with fierce murmurs
of Down with the autocracy!"
We said then that things could never be the
same thereafter. The psychological moment had
passed unimproved, and Russia must pay the
penalty The pity of 1t is that the innocent must
pay equally with the guilty. By the guilty we
10 not mean the Gar. He would have met the
people that day last winter had he acted accord
ing to his own will. But the sinister influences
of Mr. Pobiedonostseff and the grand ducal ring
restrained him. So now he must suffer. so, too
must the Russian people suffer, as they are now
SuUeclng, not only III pOSipOhclAlChl VI ASIoALlAo
but In blood and flame. We cannot blame them
for increasing their demands. It natural
and inevitable that they should do so. We did
1t ourselves century and third ago; and no
doubt In time they will secure the major part of
their increased demands Not all, for some are
making demands which never should be granted
But If the Car last winter would not give them
the little they asked and were entitled TO, they
had to go in and take it for themselves, as
+ha ,Jo
and in the very act of so doing they necessarily
increased their demands.
With every true movement for liberty we must
svnpathlZe. Bui we must also sympathZe with
the effort to maintain legitimate government
We sympathized with the people when they were
oppressed but could not sympathize with the
bomb throwing nihilist in his deed of assassna-
ton To-day. 1t seems TO us. then, that the Rus
sian people should in good faith give the govern
ment chance to work out its reforms, which
it has not only promised but has also actually
begun TO put into operation. 1t is all very well
TO say they should have been put into effect be-
fore Doubtless they should. Grant that the
autocracy, the Czar himself, even, is culpable
for not putting them into effect long ago. Yet
we are dealing with things as they are, and not
as they should have been 1t is better late
than never" and must reckon those Ill ad-
vised who reject good things Just because they
come late. If Russia should accept simply the
programme of reform now offered by the Gar
It would be making more rapid progress toward
complete emancipation than most people sup
posed il could ever make Ii will be unwise 10
refuse accept it. especially under the insidious
suggestions of those who were the agents of re-
preston and reaction only u little while ago.
What have the underlings of Plehve 10 do with
the hosts of reform? They are melting the radi-
Gals TO extremes for the sake of reaction. And
why should the true friends of Russia listen to
those who rage against the dynasty. when
they know that were the dynasty oVerthrown