The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-02-01
TWO REVOLUTIONS.

t French Revolution, which closed the eighteenth century. for events now transpiring in Russia bid fair to be a repetitioh of the Reign of Terror in Paris and some other portions of France.
 If the facts were not historic it would be hard to believe that hu- man beings in a Christian age and na- l ton could be guilty of such barbarity as was witnessed in the French capital during that terrible period. The lower orders of the people, male and female. seemed to have lost all semblance of humanity and became little better than wild beasts The women of the lower orders vied with the men in cruelty and barbarity towards the helpless nobility. The American Indians, in the days of their worst savagery, were hardly more blood-thirsty and merciless than were the men and women of Paris. Under the guiding hands of Robespierre, Marat. Danton and others, all semblance of humanity was lost. It was against the rulers and the nobility that all the rage of the people was directed. It was not merely the King and Queen that were obnoxious, but every person who held title. whether man or woman, shared com- mon fate. A few escaped, others made common cause with the Revolutionists and saved their lives and in some cases their estates. For those who refused to fiee. or to join the murderous popu- lace, death was certain. The guillo- tine was too slow, for it could not do all fhegwork. Noble men and high born women were crowded in the pris- ons condemned and executed. Others | were butchered in their homes, and in the public halls, Or driven out to be killed by the bludgeons or bikes of the rayening wolves who waited outside. The execution Of the King and Queen was merely an episode, an incident of the butchery. The Revolutionists comprised the very lowest dregs of the Parisian and suburban population, and they were dominated by a frenzied hatred of all who belonged to the up- per classes. Neither nobility and high character in man. beauty and virtue in woman nor helpless innocence of child hood had any effect on those who were now in control We'll has that period been named The Great Terror.
 Looking at the conditions and indi- cations developing in Russia, it is not 1 too much to predict that this genera ton may witness scenes as violent, if not even worse, than were those which convulsed France during the closing years of the eighteenth century. The Russian people have more cause of com pIaint than the French had. They see their men driven at the point of the sabre and bayonet to engage in for eign war with which they have no sym pathy. They see an overburdened, en- slaved peasantry struggling against the direst poverty. They see women and little children slowly starving or quickly freezing to death. All this is daily before their eyes. but that Is not all. They see a ruler. a Little Father. who apparently cares nothing for their sufferings. They see heartless. auto cratic nobles revelling in luxury and deaf to their appeals and their protes- tations.
 These are the two sides of the pie ture which is constantly before the Russian people. Is it any wonder that constant contemplation of their condi- ton and comparison with the rulers and nobles has goaded them beyond human endurance? It Is not likely that the present effort will succeed, though the people could hardly have chosen better time. The Government is hard pressed financially, and is en- I gagged In what seems a hopeless foreign war. Distracted and divided at home and confronted abroad by an enemy who seems invincible, the conditions for a successful revolution could hardly be better, yet the odds seem too power full for the people to overcime. They are unprepAred, unsolidifed and with out leaders, and the Government will 1 probably crush them as 1t has crushed previous rebellions
 Yet, If this attempt fails it is not the end. Unless radical changes take place and radical concessions are made, 1t is hardly to be believed that the quelling of the present disturbance is to be considered the end of Russian unrest The people have tasted blood, have seen their men and women shot down like wild beasts in the streets, and all over the land there are those who sympathize with the rioters and who. nursing their wrath to keep it warm" look forward to the day of de- liverance. This effort will fail, but others will follow. The spirit of revo- lution will grow and gather force till finally Russian autocracy will fall. A sudden, complete and successful revo- lution would be a world calamity. A gradual change to a Republic or a Constitutional Monarchy would be a blessing for the Russian people and a boon to Europe.
 ANOTHER sTRANG- CASE.