The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-09
GEAR ToTTERS ON His THRONE
FINAL BLOW MAY COME FROM
HIS OWN OFFICIAL FAMILY.
Resctionsries Believe strong Man Gould
still Put Down Disorder by Policy
OF Oppression characterization Of Alex
ander II. by Sham Nihilists Recalled.

ander II. by sham Nihillsts Recalled.
Special Coels Despatch TO The Sun.
LONDON. July s.-The prospect Of settle
ment Of the crisis In western Europe turns
general attention once more to the slow
but terrific drama which Is approaching
its elimination in Russia Every insur-
reotionary development. from the st.
Petersburg outbreak in january to the
surrender of the rebel battleship in the
Black Sea to-day. demonstrates what was
clearly pointed out In this correspondence
year ago. that a successful revolution in
Russia cannot come from the masses,
whether armed or unarmed.
There Is no cohesion among the Russian
people. Generations of the knout have
cowed their spirit and reduced their in
teligeuce. The country Is too vast, the
means OF communication too limited and
the available weapons OF repression still
too strong for any concerted movement
toward emancipation by the masses them
selves to succeed or even to gain a syste-
matio beginning.
Nevertheless radical change in the
Russian Government Is inevitable and i'm
minent. Even the reactionaries who con-
troll the Gar most Of the time recognize
this fact. They believe that the present
condition Of virtual anarchy In many parts
OF the empire is due to lapees from the
policy Of relentless oppression ON the part
of the unhappy ruler. 1t is said that they
are convinced there Is still chance of
success in stamping out popular discomfort
by wholesale violence. and hence the re-
ports Of plot to remove the Gar who il
hopelessly weak.
An attempt to usurp the throne and re-
duce Russia to submission in the present
condition OF things would result In I'm
paralleIed boodshed and long reign Of
terror, whether 1t succeeded or failed. On
the other hand, those leaders Of the bureau
oracy who believe it advisable to oompro mise
with the popular demand for constitution
and national legislature are said to reoog-
nize the necessity for a strong ruler on the
throne or otherwise the Liberals will soon
gain full control and the whole present
system will be doomed.
The person Of the Emperor seems really
safer with the advocates of reform In the
present crisis than among his actual en-
courage. His attitude for the past few
ays. however, tends toward complete
alienation of the Liberal leaders. The
latter have virtua lily decided to put a policy
Of passive resistance in full operation at the
end of the present month. A general strike
and refusal to pay taxes will soon paralyze
the country and render even the extreme
reactionary helpless.
But before this policy reaches its culmina-
ton there will be startling events in Russia
and the whole situation will be changed.
Darker days may intervene. but Russia will
be saved from utter ruin and then her
regeneration will begin.
BUREAUCRATs MAY MAKE DESPERATE MOVE.
Sr. PETERSBURG, June 27.-ln the struggle
Government bureaucracy and independent
society In Russia the outlook ia now be-
coming less obscure. While the dozen
and more commissions Of inquiry which
the Gar hastily put his name to after the
industrial revolt in January were still
taking time to evolve working conrpro-
mise between the Government and the
governed, nobody could forecast with
certainty how the national agitation would
be influenced by them.
They were treated fairly and patiently
by the non-official public. Manufacturers
and their workmen equally offered their
evidence to Kokovtsefl's industrial COM
mission. Public spirited landowners and
village leaders sent in reports Of their views
of the agrarian and peasant questions
to Count Ignatietf's commission. Uni
versity professors and leaders Of the learned
professions worked hard to get the Govern
ment to solve the educational deadlock
peaceably and to resume teaching, which
Is stopped throughout the country except
in the primary schools.
All these commissions have done nothing,
and have dispersed. They have ceased
to be a harricade between the Govern
ment machine and the powerful CONT ina
ton of outside interests whose first purpose
In the campaign which the Zemstvo,
municipal, territorial and educational lead
ers have already COMMANDED everything is
subordinated to getting at the machinery
of Government. The older bureaucrats are
watching with the deepest suspicion and
dismay these provincial Populations ex-
pressing most loyal thanks to the Gar for
comparatively small promises so long az
only they include some sort Of national
representative assembly. They have been
told repeatedly on the best authority that
this assembly will not in any case have a
voice in the appointment or removal OF
Ministers or In the stating Of the Govern
ment departments and yet they accept it
with thanks. Its President will be nomi-
mated by the Car without the assembly
being consulted and this president will be
its only means Of communication with the
Car. In face Of that apparently formid-
able obstacle to its independence It is well
coined with reclamation.
And the reason for this spontaneous as
sent to any kind of assembly is not hidden.
The leaders know perfectly we'll that it Is