The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-06-30
ST. PETERSBURG TO Be
THEATRE OF HORRORS.
Herbert s. Bigelow Compares
Events With Those Preceding
the French Revolution.
Opening of Russian Douma Sim
liar in Many Things to the
States General in France.

uar IN many Th1ngs TO the
States General in France.
Cincinnati, Ohio, June 28.-Rev.
Herbert S. Bigelow gave an economic
discourse in the Vine Street Congre-
gational church last Sunday evening
that was most heartily appreciated by
all his hearers. His subject was THE
French Revolution Over Again. and
incidents now occurring in Russia
rather support Mr.. Bigelow's conten-
ton that revolution is imminent
there. Mr.. Bigelow said:
"The States General of France met,
on the fifth of May, 1889.
"The Douma, the States General OF
Russia, met on the tenth of May, 1906.
Is the latter date destined to be as
important in history as the former?
We cannot: know the Importance Of
events until they have passed. But
there is more reason to believe that
st. Petersburg will soon become a
theater of horrors than there was to
foresee the fate "of Paris when the
dying Mirabeau said:
carry in my heart the dirge of
the monarchy. After my death it's re-
mains will be the spoil of the fac
tions.'
There is every reason to believe
that the hour has struck for Russia.
There Is every reason to believe that
the attention of the world is about to
be riveted upon drama more terri
BILE and more significant far than the
drama which Voltaire, twenty-five
years before the fall of the Bastile,
predicted, saying: s
Everything that see appears the
throwing broadcast the seed of rev.
olution, which must inevitably come
one day. Light extends so from neigh
Dor to neighbor that there will be
splendid outburst on the first occa-
sion, and then there will be a rare
commotion. The young are very happy
They will see fine things
The Significance OF Current Events.
"The prophet who looks forward
and the historian who looks back at IT
may see finer things than the man
who reads Of it in the morning paper.
Revolution is like death. 1t is hard
to believe that it has really come to
us. We read of the mighty past. We
dream of a glorious future. The pres
ent only is commonplace.
''The reason we cannot know the
Importance of today's deed is because
we cannot see what it will bring forth.
on the. morrow. The fifth of 3
would have meant more to the Fui1 e
If on that spring day when the Sta
General met, tlrH8s5g could have knoWx,
that the fifth fof May was to be fol-
lowed by the fourteenth of July, and
that, by the fourth of August, and
that, by the fifth of October. For us,
the significance of each event in the
past is revealed by the events that
have followed.
How often during the French rev
olution did men delude themselves
with the thought that the end had
come, that the revolution was over!
When the deputies of the three estates
met to listen to the speech from the
throne, the people were delirious with
delight. They thought the battle had
been won. If they could have had a
vision of the six fierce years that fol-
lowed, they would have known what
tremendous drama was being enacted
before them.
Are We to See Fine Things?
0O1AC hA0W N1dl1 AuIOluStt0
knew. There is a legend that as she
stood looking out of the window Of
the palace, she exclaimed: .
Great God! What piece of news
will be made public today! The king
grants the States General
$50 it is said that the mother of the
czar exclaimed when it was decided
in spite of her fears, to grant the
Douma: -: >
Have your own way, but I do not
wish to be Marie Antoinette.'
will the Peterhof palace yet be
sacked as was the palace of Yer
sailles? Will the Little Father tenn
porize too long as did Louis the Six
teenth? Will the grand dukes go
scampering off to Germany as did the
grandees of France, to lead foreign
armies against their countrymen? Will
the Jacobin Republic be reared In
Moscow and the sansculotte be, ad-
mitted at last to the feast from which
they were driven by the guns Of
Napoleon? Are we indeed to see fine
things?" ~ s5s