The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1905-02-23
RussIA's EXTREMITY.

DO present conditions make for peace
in Russian The worlds interest IN that
great empire now centres ID her internal
commissions, not in the losing game 81
carnage that she has thus far been
playing with foreign Power. The
war has become an incident The real
problems lie at the gates Of power.
The ear, the grand dukes, the whole
Romanof family are prisoners in their
own palaces. They are victims 81 their
own terrors The reign of terror Il
worse than the reign Of absolutism.
The latter at its worst admits OF time
for taking breath The terror knows
no respite and makes itself felt not only
in the substance, but quite as much ID
the shadow. Ii Ii a crushing, an appall.
ing influence from which there II no
escape, night Or day, sleeping or wax
ing. What could be more pathetic or
carry more sinister significance than
an uncompromising autoeraey. hiding
and covering in its own stronghold, not
daring to show itself to its own peo-
pie?
Certainly this raises the question
what sort of position is such q Govern.
ment in to carry on a war IN which for
over year It has been steadily losing
both ground and prestigel The war
has been unpopular IN Russia from the
start, and that unpopnlarity has been
steadily increasing ever since. Setting
aside the commotion over internal al.
fairs, there is friction in the army
itself. The brave commander OF Port
Arthur is called coward bv some OF
his fellow officers, and in such cases
It Is the practice Of the Government
to place the burden of proof upon the
man who has been unsuccessful. He
failed to hold the fortress. the great
key to operations in the far East. and
though he may have endured all tbat
WAS possible for human fortitude, that
one unfortunate fact compels him To
give an accounting before Judges look
ing for scapegoat.
The charges, counter charges and ieal-
ousies between Kuropatkin and Gripen.
berg show that Generalization has
crept farther down the line. The moth.
ers Of Moscow and elsewhere are pe.
titioning the empress to use her inhu.
ence to secure 8 cessation Of hostilities
Probably that influence amounts Ia
but very little, yet the appeal is indi.
eative Of popular feeling. We hear less
than we did from Russian forces about
carrying on the war to the bitter end
1t - the recoil of that policy that n
making itself felt in daeds Of violence
IN st. Petersburg and all over the en-.
pire. How bitter must the end be before
It will satisfy the reactionaries Of me
Russian Governments
There is evidence enough that Russia
can not count upon the willingness "
her subjects to prosecute the war n.
definitely. Peace demonstrations arc
being organized; the great mass Of M
press is arguing in favor Of peace. and
the censor permits it. It Is not for
Japan to make overtures under exisf.
ing conditions. If Russia should AZ a
she would find the other Powers readv
to help her. They are tired Of tbe waf
The world is tired Of it, and She would
have help in the arrangement Of honor.
able terms of peace She certainly needs
help, both at home and abroad sbe
II At present a misft, out Of adjustment
with up-to-date civilization. Size ean.
not continue in her present state indean.