The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-06
TEMPERED BY ASSASSINATION.
The Education Of the Russian AutOcracy
PrOceedInG.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SUN-SH: The pre-
diction on which I ventured q few days ago In re-
gard to tho situation In Russia has received q full
hlment beyond what could be expected In 30 short Q
time; and n only shows how exaspeEAted and wide
spread must be the revolutionary feeling through
out RussiA against the autocracy and lie lnstru-
ments.
The attack on Mr.. stolypIn inspires a certain per.
Bonal regret, as I saw q good deal Of him and HE
family In the winter of 1850 at PhHippopoliS.
when his father, the late General ArkAdy~ Stolypln. ;
commanded the Russian corps Of occupation in
East RuRella. At the time OF the sitting Of the In
tenAtional commission that organized Il a. an
autonomous province amer the war OF IU7. M.
StOlyptn was then quite q young man, but rave
promise OF intelligence. which his present position
has JUSTIFIED. One OF tho victims who deserved
q bettertAte was Prince ShervachidEe. who in the
early COS was Governor Of This In the Transcau-
casus. Belonging, as he did. to one OF the old
Georgian noble families. he exercised much innu-
ence among his own people. and was known 10 he
very liberal minded. He was also q man polished
In manner and well educated. which, combined
with his political principles, was probably the cause
why he was later called 20 st. Petersburg, where he
was attached to the court In some capacity. Under
the ces II was natural that he should be
In such a combination as Mr.. StoIypIn would be try
ing to form. by means OF which the empire might
be held together.
How long the present reign Of disorder can xo
on Is very pr~oblematical. All will depend on the
number. the resources and courage OF the revo-
lutionIsts; and Of that there is no means of form
ing an estimate. The fidelity Of the army also
counts for much. for so long as II remains faithful
the Autocracy has q basis for It's authority; and II
the army refuses TO revolt. the peasant class, from
which h is mainly drawn. may be bly, SUP
posed not to be very seriously disanected poIiti-
cally. In that lies the chance Of the autocracy
weathenng the storm. The revOluronanes In the
cities could then be compa rAt lively easily dealt with
while the land reforms TO satisfy the peasants were
being put into execution. But the frequent assa SAL
nations Of the Last few days must be deteroratinR TO
the morale Of the hlg her ~oniciAls and destructive Of
the reverence for authority that has hitherto been
q Characteristic OF the Russian people. These re-
marks apply more particularly to the Russians
proper. The Poles and the Jews Of Poland are IN
q different category, as from better education they
are more advanced politically than the Russian |
mujik Of tho northern and eastern PROVINCE:
and 10 all Appearances II 10 among them that the
most Intelligent and relentless OF the enemiea NJ
the autocracy at ST. Petersburg are 20 be found 81
To the hatred Of tho Russians for political reason. |
is added racial and religious antaronism. ana
unless some extraordinary change for the better
takes place in the time between now and the eIec-
tons for the new Duma, It 10 dinlcult 10 ace INV
some new and more serious complications IN m.
between the AutocrAcy and the Pollah
provinces Of the empire are 10 be escaped.
NEW YoRK. September s.