The Washington times., 1906-01-28


through most trying hours. One sees
that their thoughts are cutting into
their very hearts and give them no rest
What has become of our kindly dis
posed Russian people? Why has 1t sud
denly turned into a wild beastE These
quest lors are addressed TO me by a lady
who writes on costly, perfumed station
cry.
Christ and His teachings have been
forge tten, and His gospel OF love has
been put 10 shame. and the human being
is no longer respected" writes noble
man. and he closes with the question.
Are you satisfied"
Where are the fruits OF our teach>
ings. of our creed OF good will between
man and man? What have our schools
and churches Accomplishment asks an
other correspondent
Some OF them simply abuse me and
threaten my life. Others merely COM
plain and weep. and all OF them are ter
rih!y wrought up. 1t is very hard for
them: they are afraid TO live in these
event tul. most tragic days.
AS I cannot answer each one of these
corre spOndents separately. ! VIII answer
them ell at once.
Gentlemen! The time has come when
the people are paying you for your GRIM
inal Indifference TO them. All that you
feel now. all that is depressing you. you
have well deserved, and l want to tell
YOU and 1 want 10 express the wish,
that the fear of the present days should
enter into you ali the more. and that
you should feel all the more bitterly
the life which you have created. May
your hearts breathe In fear; may its
~ a lerh - = Y
the insane and grewsOme deeds that
are aow being performed IN our land
barn you like fret serves you right.
These things will either destroy you or
perhaps. they viii ciear you OF all filth
and purify your souls, of which you
have taken no care, and which you have
allowed TO become nlled with hatred
ana envy. with falsehOOd and evil
Madame! You wish TO know what has
suddenly taken hold or the people? It's
patience has broken. Long, long has
1t been silent; long has # suffered: long
has II borne you on It's slavish shoulders
an I IL can do ii no more. and it has
not Us yet cast off all the weight which
h1s been forced upon it. You have
taken fright too early, madame And
Why-let us speak Openly-why should
The people not De transformed into
beast Of sprey? What nave you done
10 prevent IL? How many wise things
haVo you taught the people? Have you
soWn much good in their souls?
All their lifetime you have robbed the
people of the fruits of their labOrs, have
taken away their last crusts of bread
1,ou have taken things very lightly and
simply, not even understanding what
YOU are taking You never even asked
"Gn whose strength do we lve?" You
have taunted the hungry and the poor
with your costly attires; you have looked
down upon the Eeasants as II they were
lovly beasts. They understand IL all
YOU have enTaged them. 1t is very
simple; When You feast in the presence
OF the hungry, you cannot expect them
70 be grateful and meek long Your
songs, your music could not have re-
fined the feelings OF the hungry; the
meanness OF your attitude toward the
peasant could not awaken in him the
feeling of respect for you. What have
you done for him? Have you taken care
70 see that his heart should De sOfJened?
You have made him more hardened than
he ever was. Have YOU attempted to
make him wiser2 You have not even
thought OF him. You have regarded
the peasant as an OK in the Plow and
sometimes YOU have even laughed at
him as II he we're a savage. But never
have YOU looked upon him a human
bcing-why, then, do you wonder so
much when you see him now treating
You like n beast.
Madame, Your question displays not
only ignorance Of life. but the hypocrisy
OF sinner who feels that he has sinned,
but is stubbornly disinclined to repent.
You knew that things could not pass
so without you taking any heed OF the
lie OF the peasant. a human being
who is being beaten sooner or later re-
turns in like. A man on whom no pity
IS taken will show no mercy TO others
That is very clear, and worse yeti is
Justice. 1t is not so terrible that peo-
pie are being beaten now. but that they
have to be beaten; il is not so terrible
that no pity is taken. but that no pity
must be taken.
How can you seek mercy in a heart
wherein you have only sown revenge?
Madame, At Kiev the good Russian
people have thrown a governess, to-
Gether with the furniture of the house,
through the windows OF the Brodski
residence. but they don't even touch a
canary bird which was hopping about in
its cage, Just think Of II, The people
took pity on a tiny little bird, but
human beings they threw through the
windows. 1t seems that the people are
capable of mercy, but the human being
has not deserved IL at their hands.
This is what is so terrible and so
tragic! Madame Can you really ask
TO be treated like a human being when
you have treated other human beings
so cruelty all their life and have
shown them no consideration and have
considered them as being far beneath
you?
You write letters; you are evidently
educated. You have surely read books
in which the life OF the pasant is de-
ecribed. What, then, should you expect
from him now, when knowing how he
lives. you have made no efforts 10 i'm
prove his condition? 1t Is he who en-
bitters your life now, who forces you
10 write with trembling hand to "a man
who you should have known will not
wish TO tighten your heart, viii have
no desire to console you. No!
1t IS all very natural We live in a
land where people are. at this late day,
still fiogged and l0nouted and beaten "a
death with clubs: where people have
their bones broken. their faces are lash
ed Just for the sake of fun and there is
no end to all the cruelty and the shame
ful deeds. A man that Is brought up on
clubs lashes and knouts cannot be soft
hearted A human being who Is tram
pied under foot in the police stations
soon becomes capable OF tramplins his
equal under foot. In a land where in
Justice has reigned so long it Is not sS
easy to make the people recognize al
at once the power of Righteousness. 1Ot
cannot demand justice of one who is no
acquainted with It, IL is necessary Il
understand this: it is a very simple mat
ter. though il Is gruesOme. All these
t., = 60.