The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-03-26
MAY HAVE TO ABANDON ITS PATH OF REFORM
REAL SITUATION WHICH NOV CONFRONTS THE RUSSIAN
 GOVERNMENT.

Guerilla Warfare of the Revolutionists
 May Cause Acts of Terrorism and As-
 sassinatiOn, Even That of Premier
 Witte, but It Cannot succeed--Gov-
 renment Has Finn Grip and Every
 Measure to Prevent Excesses Will be
 Taken.
 St. Petersburg, March 25.--The Asso- ciated Press is able to give the results of an important conversation with a high parsonage regarding the situation in Russia. Neither the name nor the position of this parsonage can be indi- cated, but his competency to speak upon the situation can be vouched for The conversation, which covered a wide range, left the distinct impression that the assembling of the national par liament would bring a crisis, but not the one anticipated abroad. The gov ernment, evidently is absolutely con- vinced that an armed revolution or a general uprising, which would menace its life, is no longer possible, and that the danger now IS not that the govern- ment will De overthroWn but that it will be driven to aoandon its path of reform.
 "The guerilla warfare which the rev. olutionists at present are conducting, ," said the parsonage referred to- cannot succeed. Acts of terrorism doubtless will continue-vengeanc may be wrecked upon governors general and po- lice masters; Count Witte, the premier, and Minister of the Interior Durnovo may be assassinated; banks and build irgs may be blown up, and there may be even riots here and there-but att tempts to produce widespread nsings in tine cities or a repetition of the rail- road strike are doomed to failure. The government has firm grip and every measure to prevent excesses will be taken.
 Besides, the situation has been com- pletely altered since last fall, when practically the whole of the urban pop ulation joined the protest which led the emperor to grant the manifesto of De- tober 30. The government then was unable to cope with the extre revolu- tionaries, The army in European Rus sia was at low strength and filled with reservists bordering on mutiny owing to their anxiety to return to their homes and reioin their families, and new recruits everywhere were prevent ed from joining the colors. Since then all is changed. The reservists have been discharged and the recruits have been drilled and joined the ranks. Rgei- | nents which then consisted of 400 men now have 1000 men. Two army corps have returned from Manchuria and more regulars are arriving daily.
 No matter what is said to the con- trary, 1t is certain that the army IS l faithful to the emperor. There may oe individual cases of disloyalty, but the reliability of the army as a whole is unquestionable, The weight of troops alone renders a revolution impossible.
 Should there be agrarlan disorders | in the summer they will not be revolu- tionary in character, for the peasants of Russia are true to the emperor. The danger lies in another direction.
 Tt is not now a question of the fall of the government, but of whether re- form or reaction will prevail-Whether the present struggle to supplant the old regime and secure larger liberties for the people will enter the parliament phase of a counter-revolution will sweep away the entire programme on which the government has entered. His majesty, the empeEpr is sincerely and honestly desirous of meeting the wishes of his people and has given them his word to this effect, But a reactionary party exists, It is com posed of the aristocraey with a power | ful backing in high places, and above all it enjoys the support of the military faction, which in country like Rus sia is an immense factor. The military 1 is naturally reactionary. An officer prefers to serve @ Napoleon rather than parliament After thirty years as a republic a strong royalist faction 1 still exists in the French army.
 Nevertheless, at the present mo- | ment the reactionary party is weak and powerless. It lacks the public follow ing without which it are not move. It is easily conceivable however, that the situation might suddenly change should an opportunity to strike come.'