Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1905-12-15
LAND OF THE CAR.
TORN BY DISSENSION AND RENT
BY DISTRUST.
II Is the Land Of Riddle, - People Want Po-
iitical and Economic Freedom - Condition
Similar in Some Respects to the French Rev.
olutonary Period The Collapse Of Autoc.

itical and Economic Freedom - Condition
Similar in Some Respects to the French Rev
olutionary Period = The Collapse Of Autoc
racy.
BY BYRON MILLETT.
Russia, in her ice bound nest, seetht
and boils like cauldron. The spirit
of liberty, long trodden beneath the
iron heels OF injustice and despotism
is manifesting itself in scenes OF blood
and carnage. appalling to those who
love peace. 1t was Danton, one oI
the leaders OF the French revolution
who said. 81 too love peace, but no,
the peace of slavery" The philosophy
expressed in that great struggle, al
well as in the present situation in the
great Russian empire, is that society
and governments are as much subject
to law as the ebb and flow OF the tides
and the movements OF the planets in
their courses. Wendell Phillips re.
marked that revolutions are not hur.
ried, or brought into existence by the
actions of men, but that "they come u
Evolution proceeds along the lines OF
least resistance. by slow and imper.
ceptible changes in physical, moral
and intellectual life. When this pro.
cess becomes complete, every barrier
must give way in order to install the
new birth, which usually has hitherto
been ushered into existence, in social
and physical life, by a catastrophe.
The seating OF William of Orange on
the British throne seems to have been
accomplished through pcaceable rev.
olution, but it must be borne in mind
that, forty years before that event,
there was much violence throughout
the country, which doubtless prepared
the minds of the English people for
the change. In 1889, in France, when
Louis XVI. convened the States Gen.
eral, the feudal institutions of that
country, which had been in vogue for
many centuries, had become worm.
eaten, rotten at the core, through the
operations of the higher law of evolu.
tion, were bound to crumble and give
place to something new; the polarity
Of society changed; feudalism to COM
mercialism was the next step in the
process of the evolutionary develop
ment. The regime Of the commercial
barons has been dominant ever since.
It is q mistake to suppose this was a
revolt OF the common people, in the
general sense. 1t is true they were
forced, through circumstances OF hun.
ger and want, to take part in the
bloody scenes attending this class
struggle between feudslism and COM
mercialism. Throughout the worlds
history, in such struggles, the people
being the more numerous body are
always the greatest sufferers.
Now taking a survey OF existing
conditions in Russia, we find that this
vast empire, having como in touch
with western civilization, feudal insti.
tutions and customs have been out.
grown and no longer suffice.
An eminent author on politics and
economics, last March, observed:
"The Russian people are now strug-
Cling for the liberties we enjoy here in
the United States; the liberties the
fathers of the Republic conquered a
hundred years ago.
1.-THE Russian revolution has probably
passed its most dramatic, spectacular
stage.
Prussia has now entered into an era
Of chronic revolution.
"The revolutionization of all the
classes and masses of Russia is spread.
ing and deepening, the revolutionary
flames are working their way toward
the shaky throne of the Gear and worm
eaten altar of the State Church, and can.
not be extinguished till Absolutism and
Parasitism will be no more.
"The time has passed when the peo'
pie of Russia could be pacified by politi.
cal charity, in. the shape of an advisory
board, composed of representatives ol
various classes without power or author
ity to legislate or control the budget ol
the State, as proposed by the Gar under
the stress of q disastrous war.
"The Russian people are now deter
mined to get rid Of the double yoke ol
political and economic oppression.
Revolutions never 90 backward. In
such times, changed conditions occur
with wonderful rapidity. That which
was feasible al one time, becomes i'm
practicable q week thereafter. al
Justice travels with a leaden heel, shs
strikes with an iron srm." Condition.
in such times quicken every energy o
the people; men become suddenl,
awakened, throw off nightmares, crowt
the experiences of years into hours
scenes that at first appear startling
soon become endurable and finally at
tractive. Such has been the course o
the streams OF history in all ages.
The handing over the portfolio o
State to M. Witte, show that abso
lutism and the regime of the beauro
cratic party are things Of the past.
There are three prominent partie
in Russia: the Social RevolutionistI
who are utopian regarding their theor
les, and Jacobin in their tactics
There are many terrorists anon
them. Intellectuals, OF both sexe'
identified with this party have fo
years under trying circumstances trav
eled among the peasantry throughou
the empire, teaching the doctrine {