The sun., 1905-09-06
How Will the Peace Affect Reform
In Russia?

Although the statement telegraphed
from Moscow on September that the
Government had decided to postpone the
inauguration Of national assembly for
at least year, "owing to practical diff
culties," has since been contradioted,
it is natural that Russian reformers
should feel good deal Of misgiving
about the fulflment Of the promise made
in the ukase OF August 10, now that
the autocracy is no longer weakened
by the necessity Of keeping the bulk
Of its military force at the further end
Of Asia.
The apprehension is justified by ex-
perience, 80 far as the reign Of the pres
ent Car is concerned. The course Of
the Government has been marked dur
ing the last eighteen months by inces-
SAINT and fragrant inconsistency. For a
time the progressive party would seem
to be preponderant at Peterhof, and
then suddenly the Reaotionists would
regain ascendency. 1t has even hap
pened that two irreconcilable edicts
would appear on the same day, the one
instinct with the spirit Of inflexible alb
solutism, the other evincing a mind
open to conviction and willingness to
make generous concessions to the de-
mands OF Russian Liberals. The fact
that NICHOLAS II. has set his signature
to particular document has ceased
to be construed as definite and final
proof that a particular line Of action
will be followed. 1t would therefore
surprise no onlooker to hear that the
ukase convoking national assembly
had been rescinded, or that the execu-
ton Of 1t had been deferred, or that
such changes had been made in the
electoral basis as would deprive the
Chamber OF claim fairly to represent
the Russian people.
It must also be admitted that the
Reactionists, who recovered the conf
dence of the Car in the interval between
Mr.. WHITES departure from Russia
and the conclusion Of peace by the
plenipotentiaries at Portsmouth, may now
plausibly contend that the grounds on
which the ukase Of August 10 was issued
no longer exist, and that consequently
an intelligent self-interest should prompt
the autocracy to recall or at least
minimize the concession to the advo-
Gates of Western institutions. The Car
promised national assembly for two
reasons: first, because he wanted inter
nal tranquility; and secondly, because
he wanted money. By conciliating the
;horo1c ho hnrol fn attain both q;
Now, on the other hand, that the great
army under General LINIEvITCH will
presently be at his disposal, the Car may
think that he has no reason to doubt his
power of maintaining order, and he also
knows that, thanks to the diplomatic
triumph gained by Mr.. WITTE, he will
now experience no difficulty in ef'ecting
further loans abroad The fact that
peace has been made without the pay
ment of an indemnity signally strength
ems Russia's credit on the stock exchanges
of London and New York, so that it will
not much matter if French capitalists
show themselves indisposed to increase
their investments in Russian securities.
Some advisers OF NICHOLAS III. are
likely to point out that LOUIS XVI would
never have called together the States
General in 1889 could he have borrowed
from foreign bankers hundreds of mill
ions of francs. Why then, they may ask,
should the Car take the perilous step
of summoning national assembly now
that his fears have been dispelled and
his necessities relieved?
That champions of the absolutist
regime and representatives of the bu-
reaucracy will urge NICHOLAS II. to defy
public opinion at home and abroad by
violating his plighted word, given in
the ukase Of August 10, on the plea that
a foolish promise iSaetter broken than
kept, we have no doubt whatever. We
believe, nevertheless, that the ukase will
be carried out. 1t will be carried out
because almost every landowner who
was represented personally or by deputy
in the congress Of zemstvos at Moscow
has son or brother among the officers
in the army under General LINIEvITcH.
The rank and file Of that army will be
glad to return to their homes, but they
will bring back ranking memories of
the hardships and privations to which
they have been subjected through the
shocking mismanagement of the COM
missariat and the medical department.
They will be in the mood to listen to
propagandists Of liberal or revolution
ary ideas, and among the younger officers
there are likely to be many such propa-
gandists. Long ere this the ukase OF
August 10 has been the theme Of exult-
ant discussion at every officers mess
and around every campfire in front of
Harbin or at Vladivostok. 1t would be
very dangerous thing to affront half
million OF soldiers known to be already
in discontented and vindictive mood.
Not until the army under LINIEvITcH
shall have been brought back in detach-
ments, and until the regiments suspected
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