The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1905-01-27
The RUSSIAN
REVOLUTIONISTS

e VI I'd. r. -
There are several revolutionary so.
cteties in the Russian Empire, but
the Fighting League of the Social.
Reyolutionists is the only one. pro
Tossing terrorism" as a conspicuous
part of Its programme. 1t was this
Fighting League which killed de
Plehye his predecessor and several
ttonists devote themselves to print
other high officials.
y While most of tho Social.Revolu
ing and distributing secret literature,
TO oral propaganda and to revolution.
airy demonstrations plots like the one
Which resulted In the death Of dc
Plehve is the special business of the
lighting League.
The experience Of the NIhilists Of
the SOS led the terrorists of today
TO keep these two branches of their
activity separated. The weakest
point in the organization Of the men
who brought about the death of Alex.
ander II. lay in this-that the terror
absorbed the main strength and the
best forces of the VIII of the People,
as their party was called. In order
TO prevent this mistake the new ter.
rorists comprise only very small
part of the active men and women Of
the organization and are so detached
from the other groups as to prevent
their conspiracies from interfering
with or being interfered with by the
other work of the party. According.
ly, the Fighting League is an isolated
organization, communicating with the
main body through one or two repre-.
sentauves, rather small force nu.
inerically, but with long list of can.
didates to fill the places of those who
fall into the hands of the enemy. 1t
Is not every member of the Social.
1eevolutionist party who is ready to
join the Fighting League, but the
number of those who are ready and
who beg for chance TO attack man
like de Plehve is really very large.
The revival Of organized terrorism
after m interval of II years, dates
from the spring of 1901, and grew out
Of the drastic measures which the
government used in dealing with col
lcge demonstrations. The last ut
tempt at bloodshed by members OF
the celebrated Narodnaya VOLTA (Will
Of the People, took place In 1887, or
the anniversary Of the death of Alex
ander H., when several Nlhilists, with
bombs under their coats, were ar
rested on the steps Of cathedral
which the reigning Car, Alexander
ILL.,, was about TO enter. When the
Mould-be regicides were brought tc
the nearest police station one of then
threw bomb on the floor apparently
expecting to blow up the building
but the missile did not so off. But q
new form Of agitation made rapid
Roadway among the working classes
as well as among the educated part
of the population. 1t was a Russian
party Of Western Europe, the factor:
proletariat being the embodiment oil
al; its hopes and aspirations, just as
the peasantry had been the-personifi
cation of the ideals and dreams Of
the peaceful propagandists Of the
EOS.
The government adhered to its ole
policy Of repression. Peaceful mis-
sionaries and organizers Of secret
trade unions were treated with me
dieval brutality. But the social Dem
ccrats went on with their, work of ed
ucation and organization, and theil
party throve. Their teachings gained
n foothold in many a factory town
willie the universities were as full
Of this form of Nihilism-a term by
The way, which in Russia has long
since been out of use-as they hat
been once full of that spirit which
Pinned Its faith to the village com
r.une as an instrument TO work out
the countries political and economic
salvation. The peaceful unresistine
"peasantists' had been gradually con
Nerted, but the senseless cruelties Of
the government, into assassins. ant
row its blind policy. Of oppression and
ersecution in its campaign agains
the peaceful. social.D Democrats was
Hound to lead to similar results. 7