New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-01-22
ONE YEAR OF RESURRECTION IN RUSSIA.
II REVIEW OF THE CONDITIONS WHICH FOLLOWED
RED SUNDAY IN THE CAPITAL OF THE EMPIRE.

| countrymen who wore the uniform of the Gar ir
the streets and squares the Winter Palace OF
| the Little Father. Those volleys echoed all over
Russia, and deafened the ears of many subjects to
| the paternal with which a simple minded
| long suffering people had endowed the head OF the
| system of autocracy. Until that day the conf
dence of the nation in the Emperor had been un-
| shaken. Weak he might be, misguided by an un-
scrupuous court he might be. but In the hearts OF
| the mass of heterogeneous people, he was still
their IAttle Father. That trust IN their ruler
| brought death to many. The workmen of the cap
ital driven to despair by years OF renorseless
despotism. had struck. not in the hope that they
could force change in their pitiful conoluon' pu'
| in the belief that the Emperor, when he knew liie
| wrongs. would right them. They asked lhat tue
| Emperor in person should receive petition .on'
| the hands of their deputaton. hundred lAoU
sand troops were poured into the city, but the Peo
| pie took no heed. Their ruler they sald "oulu
not harm them The grand dukes and the courI
| cabal had kept him ignorant of his childreh he.
| So the working and women gathereo !" mo
| outskirts of the city and marched toward the pa
| ace and the volleys of the troops moved them
down. : ,u
Behind this simple plea for aid there douotiesS
| Law political motive. The working man OF rus
STA was beginning to see the dawn OF i0S
Unions had been secretly formed, soclahsl W.
trines had been discussed. and the newspapers CHI
| boldened by the weakness OF the government. o"S
to the succession of failures in the war IN the oil
East, had begun to express the popular Ha e u
burea .cratic msmanagement. the htIie -
of self rule which the zemstvos and oouiilas W.
vincial and municipal councis) granted 10 'ite p
pie had permitted them to hope for oe''ei 80, 80
Thus under the guidance OF the intellectual classes
a party rapidly grew which DEMANDED d eNae
the national government by means OF d I'p
sentative assembly elected by the ehIire peop
The rebellion against existing conditions was Gun
as - erst 10 Ihe middle and lower classes Oh
citizens The bulk of the army renamed 10y az
though an apparent attempt 10 XIII 'iio ~ -
was made on January 49, when at the cereliIoi. :,
blessing the waters of the Neva battery hieu
q salute of grape shot, winch zen 0
imperial party. -, o.. tho
From that fatal Sunday in St Petersburg 10 'no
nresent day the internal history of Russia mas pe
q series of rebellions and their Suppression "
news OF the massacre spread rapidly over INC
n,re and in two days the revolutionary spirit p
+ T., almost every city. from Finland 70 the Cau-
casus and from the Baltic to Lake balNal' =.
,nss nut down with heavy loss OF me- oOout - -
Riga Reval Moscow. Kieff. Odessa ana " aiSa r v
and the hostile races in the Caucasus proihp'iS
seized the opportunity to avenge their grievances =
~ a,o,en+ centsl of Poland, whose people hdu
never been submissive to the Russian Sohe' 60,
two DAYS In the hands of mobs. A huiuleu
sand men quit work. Arson ana plAase "
checked bv the troops on February l. All toi, t
was soon In rebellion. The strike spIeeu " -
coal regions and the bloody scenes in Warsa" wei,
renaated in Iodz on February and u anu III
smaller cities and towns.
The first efforts of the government were -.
! >. crushing the revolt Under the Russian law 10
80. 80 q crime Troops were ruthlesSly USED
. o,,.-cor,A the agitation. and prisons were Sooh
oy7erfowing The autocrats, however P CO..
showed alarm at the swift spread OF lhsuiie oo
and at the strength of the workmens oFsaI
zion The Emperor February received uep"
+ato, from, the labortng classes at TsarsKoeSelo
oov,salIe6 natience and held out the customary
hope of reforms. The promises were nullneu :.
dav later by the retirement from the hlli7HS VI
the Interior of Prince Sviatopolk-Nllrsky, d man
| of liberal views and the appointment OF M bouiS-
erine, or Boulign, who was incllheu ~ sSiiip
with the party of reaction.
Little credence was given TO the lmpefla pieuse
nv the abor parties The people had learheo "
di.+rret the word of their rulers. The unions De
ap IN nerfect and extend their organizations WIN
r. 1one which was later realized, Of bringing
into line every class OF industry in the country.
Students and professors Joined the movement anu
the universities were closed. Agitators were sent
into the farming districts and began propaganda
erauebt with the greatest peril to the hauon,
.ons the ninety millions of peasants 1t was not
7if7cult 10 lead these poor people. penehtea htee
I,x- fine abolition of serfdom, ignorant. chlluiA
and s,nerstitious into realization OF tnelr "rohss'
They had no knowledge or conception or consul
+,+ioDaI form of government; they knew that IheS
ee.-ad and that they suffered because they lacked
land The soil was them well being, ana often
unable TO raise from the sCanty holdings crops SUM
o;en+ IN support life, they looked with envy anu
air m
crown In this untutored class lay the greatest
de,eer 70 system of government dependent LOT
its mower on the exclusion of the people me pulh
of the imperial army was derived from the peas
ants These men made good soldiers Ihelr hopes
q, ne were founded on obedience. but they couio
-. .lz-avs suffer in silence. invaded soldiers
brought 10 their country homes tales OF cruelty
and incapacty the part OF thelr olhcels "
nsonchurfa and ernissaries of the unions IN the
ci+ies nreached to them the wrongs OF the Work
inprnen It was not long before nu'ihleS OIL re-
serves burning of houses of mobiles ana plilase anu
seizure of estates broke out IN every province
uar between the Tartars and Armenians rageo III
~. f-o,,caeus and the great oil industry of the
| region ceased.
Nv March the national agitation had reached
such a pitch that concessions were imperative
The autocracy began its specious poiIcS Vi leloi'
On March 3 the Emperor signed a decree siEiie
,o+ed CONSERVATIVES of the people the right TO
- .bair views in the preparation OF the laws
~ the ernrire It involved no change in the sys-
tom of government, and was received py the "oi
men of St Petersburg with an oroer LOT d sehe al
+rike The delegates Of the zemstVos' VINO at lho
time were the leaders of the popular NOV
not ar Moscow and demanded representation on
81 osor,o commission created under an Imperial
rescr,nt Even the clergy revolted against their
1aoder Pohiedonostseff, Procurator of the Holy
SYNOD and the apostle OF reacuoh. Inc I'm
naror on Easter granted religious hberty 10 ms
Suhtects-a concession which was doubtless INTEND
cd To conciliate the Old Believers, whose wealth.
and influence were great. The decree also IN
Guided the Jews who had been officially and pop
ularly prosecuted. but it worked little improve
roent in their condition. They were q Vaiudoie
asset when It became necessary to change the OBJ
| iect of popular hatred, and massacres IN jewish
quarters Of cities continued frequent
The peoples parties multiplied. Lawyers or
eanized league OF all professions There were
Liberals Moderate Liberals constitutional LSoer-
TN.rys