The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1905-11-09
Current Comment on Leading Topics
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.

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RussIAs REVOLUTION
The Russia revolution, which has come a
last and which at the first blow has succeeded II
bowling over the autocracy Of the Romanoffs, i
the subject OF much comment in the press:
The government has developed education
with intentional hardness, because an enlight-
ened people, as Pobiedonostseff used to say,
was apt to be discontinued with the divinely
fashioned existing order-Kansas City Star.
There are obstacles in the way of carry
ing out the plans of Count Witte that cam
not easily be removed. The question whether
or not Russia is sufficiently self-controlled to
stand liberty is up for answer. There is
danger Of the popnlace being misled by selfish
and INSCRIPTIONS leaders, If this can be
passed all will be we-Buffalo Evening
Times.
Nevertheless, whether he succeeds or
whether he fails tremendous moral victory
has been gained tremendous stride toward
liberty has been taken when the Russian peO-
pie can compel car to give one OF his
statesmen even the opportunity to undertake
the task, dubious though the opportunity may
be- So much at least of the revolution can
never go backward. So much of it Is mat
ter of record. So much of it will remain as
a guide post for the future. The beginning
has been made, and in the struggle for hui
man liberty the real beginning is half the
batte.-New York World
The crisis thus brought about is an in
tensely serious one. The mob devil has
been unclaimed and the process OF an orderly
transition from one form OF government to
another is thus hampered, and its fulfllment
jeopardized The parallesm OF the situation
I;oIv ;vap pic Hyrrr ia
period of the revolution when the ruling pow
err fell into the hands of one band OF fanatics
after another and when bloodshed and rapne
held sway is obvious. The Russian rebel
lion has not yet reached the extreme to
which the sansculottes carried things in
Paris but the conditions antecedent to
reign of terror undoubtedly exist and only
an extraordinary exhibition of courage and re-
sourcefulness on the part of the moderates
will stave this off.-Pittsburg Leader.
Emerson said when there is free speech
and free press, what the tender and poetic
youth dreams today, and conjures up with
inarticuate speech, is tomorrow the vocifer-
ated result of public opinion, and the day
after is the charter of nations" Russia has
obtained free speech and a free press" and
tomorrow" may her people write declara-
ton of independence which will proclaim
unbounded liberty and untrammeled justice
for her whole people.-Columbus Press
Post.
But the question remains, how will the
Russian people receive this offer? Does it,
in fact, meet their demands? If it does, will
they have faith in 1t and return quietly to
their vocations? Or will they see in 1t only
encouragement to demand greater conces-
sions? Can the "many-headed beast" once
reused be quieted by word? Or will it, as
1t did In France over century ago. having
once proved its strength seek to test 1t in
every form OF political vagary and stupid
outrage? The next day or two is not unlikely
to indicate the answer to most of these ques-
tions.-St. Paul PioneerPress.
The reforms I'm government conceded by
the car ought TO pacify, and probably will
pacify the educated classes. They will gain
all that they can reasonably ask for The