Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1905-11-24
RUSSIA FROM DAY TO DAY.
The Forces which Work for and Against
the Integrity Of the Empire.

the Integrity Of the Empire.
A southerner graphically describes the
condition of the South in the months i'm
mediately following Lees surrender by
saying: Society was kind Of lying round
loose" That appears to be the situation
in Russia following the cars surrender to
the demand for a constitution. The sur
render has come, but neither the reform
nor the constitution. Both must be put
into shape. The central authority which
could II 1t would impose order on the realm
has been rudely shaken, and the popular
authority that is to succeed 1t has not yet
reached organization. There Is now
period Of wild unrest. Racial antihathies
which were kept in check by the old con-
stituted authorities. or broke out sporadic
cally, now gain fun swing. The Jews are
everywhere the victims Of mobs that gain
confidence from the unreadiness of the
government to deal with them.
Troops and police know not where to
look for orders, and their hesitation is
intensified by their participation in the
hatred OF the Jews felt by the classes from
which they are drawn. The disorder fays
in with the policy of the reactionaries, who
are said to encourage 1t in some places.
but its general cause may be traced to
the dislocation Of government. Count
Witte asks for time. and as he is the
strong man of the empire he may be
10 utmost put GOWN
volt against social order. Were the car
a vigorous man he could do much. He
could assert the power of the sovereign
to protect all law-abiding subjects without
receding one step from his policy Of grant
ing a constitution; but vigorous deter
mination is not his forte. He is stubborn
at the wrong time-but he is not strong.
He stood out in violation OF treaty and
oath against the just demands OF Finland
until he almost precipitated secession. and
now he yields everything when his sur
render. late and reluctant" becomes also
unimportant.
Whether Russia will fly asunder in the
convulsion now going on is an interesting
question which II is too early to answer.
The empire contains several nationalities
widely divergent from Russia and one an
other With some OF these the aspiration
for nationality is always strong Poland
never will become Russian so long as there
is Pole left. The last Pole will be the
last agitator. In Finland the people are
Firms first, last and all the time They
are under Russian Jurisdiction by circum-
stances over which they may possibly
now come to have some control In
dependence is the cherished ideal OF
Poland and Finland, but it does not follow
that either will be capable of snatching 1t
out of this confusion, and It is by no
means certain that Finland would set up
for herself II given the chance.
Poland has been partitioned by Prussia
and Austria. as well as by Russia Ger.
many. which in this connection is Prussia,
and Austria, is as much concerned as
Russia in suppressing Poland's aspira-
tons for nationality. They have always
given hand to Russia whenever the
Russian Poles have made n bid for free
dom. 1t is far more probable that Kaiser
wilhelm In concentrating German troops
on the Russian border was inspired by a
purpose TO keep his own Polish provinces
In subsection, than by a quixotic scheme
OF marching to st. Petersburg to put down
the reform movement
Finland would scarcely know whittier
to go II she declared herself independent.
Sweden is not powerful enough to be stay
or shield. and moreover, the Firms are not
a revolutionary people. So long as the
cZars respected their oath to recognize
and protect the local constitutionalism OF
Finland they had no more loyal subjects
than the Firms. So confident were the
czars OF this locality that they reposed
special trust and confidence in the Finland
soldiers. The Finland Guards were the
nrst soldiers to rally ito the support of
Nicholas l. during the revolt Of 1925. The
Finland Guards were on duty on the night
OF Feb. II, 1850, when the explosion in the
winter Palace occurred, and many of
them were killed and wounded. Alexan-
der l., Nicholas I. and Alexander II. all
respected the rights and immunities OF
flnIand. 1t Is only within a comparative
ly rev years that the policy Of the ADLER
czars has been reversed.
There is trouble everywhere. The Gam
caucus is In revolt, but 1t seems rather a
nerce conflict between races for the salts
Iaction OF old grudges, than a combination
aimed against Russian rule itself. It win
De seen that there are considerations
Whlch Whlle not final bear against the
assumption that the Russian empire IN its
present form will not survive the present
commissions.