The progressive farmer and the cotton plant., 1905-07-18
EDITORIAL
CURRENT EVENTS: THE TREND OF THINGS
AS WE SEE 1T.

AS to some of them the writer fears that he is not
so well informed as he should be, because much OF
the time dependent on the Western dailies for his
news: and to the California, Oregon or Colorado
paper, the South and the East foreign terri
tory But about the Russo-Japanese War and
the death of John Hay at least, the Western daily
has had quite as much to say as has the Eastern
or Southern daily Hay was Westerner, while
Japan and China face our Pacific Coast, and this
Far Eastern struggle, instead of being the aca-
demic proposition it is to the South, is the EVest
of live matters to our Pacific brethren.
The Shame of Russia.
Russia has had all kinds of troubles since our
last writing The rioting in Poland was fearful
beyond description but the Cars government
found lower deep of shame in the mutiny of
the crews of one of the great battleships, the
Kniaz Potemkine and two torpedo boats. In our
brief space we cannot do better than to quote the
story as told in Golfers Weekly of July 18th:
"The crews had mutinied because a sailor COM
planning on their behalf about their food had been
shot by the captain of the Kniaz Potemkine. They
had killed some of their officers, imprisoned 9TH
ers, and apparently induced others to join them:
This sudden apparition of anarchy, armed with all
the resources of modern naval science, struck the
imagination of the world as the most thrilling in
cident of marvellous year-more dramatic even
than Mukden, the Sea of Japan, or the first dash
on Port Arthur.
''The arrival of the insurgent squadron created
a reign of terror in the second seaport OF Russia.
The port was strictly blockaded, so far vessels
flying the Russian flag concerned, and the
mutineers burned several ships and helped them
selves coal from anotner. Ihe body OF the sail
or whose death had caused the mutiny was brought
ashore and left in state the quay, with threat
that the city would be bombarded if it should be
disturbed. It was buried with a great popular
demonstration on the 29th the police and soldiers
prudently keeping out of sight. The seamen fra
ternzed with riotous strikers shore, their guns
helped to eaualize the odds between the mob and
the sodiery. and the sky red with the light of
burning houses, docks, and ships. Odessa was de-
Hvered to anarchy. Hundreds of people were
killed in daily battles in the streets, and the EN-
peror was compelled to proclaim a state of war.
The spirit of mutiny spread to the great north
ern naval ports of Libau and Cronstadt where
almost all the remaining sailors burst into revolt
The fidelity of the army itself was distrusted. In
this crisis the zemstvos of the provinces of Mos
cow and St. Petersburg took the tremendous
luton to notify the Gar that if he did not estab
lsh constitutional government by the middle of
July they would do it in those provinces for
themselves"
The outlook for peace between Japan and Rus
sia is very bright-has in fact, frightened
very much within the last day or two M Mura-
vieff, whom the Gar had selected as chief peace
plenipotentiary. has given way to M. Witte, a
much skilful diplomat, and a man much
more in earnest about ending the war. Witte,
moreover. not only believes that peace ought to
be made, but thinks that Japan and Russia ought
to form an alliance and control matters in the
Far East for fifty years to come. By his efforts
in bringing the belligerents together, President
Roosevelt has won golden opinions. And the Sc
lection of this country the place of meeting for
the diplomats further emphasizes Americas part
in promoting peace.