The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-08-03
RUSSIAN CRISIS Is NEAR
Much News Not Observation-Disclosures
idvices Reaching London From the
Russian Capital Indicate That the
End Is Much Nearer Than the PUP
ESfled Facts Show.

London, July 20.-In the plas o.
European politics just nov Russia
holds the center OF the stage Of the
proceeding acts 70 this continuous per-
Torrance none is of such absorbing III
terest to the intelligent spectators as
that now being played. We have heard
the tinkle of the bell that p~recades the
fall Of the curtain on the tableaux Of
A tragedy. But the suspense l. 50
sleyerly sustained. the uncertainty sc
acute that here and there throughout
the great amphitheatre of Europe we
hear a laugh-as though a comedy were
before US. The laugh is only the nys-
terra Of a nervous mar who knows too
we'll that III another hour the rivers
OF Russia may run with blood.
Private advices reaching London
from unQuestionable sources carry us
much nearer to the end than the
published facts. Even the newspaper
men from Europe and America now
stationed at St. Petersburg fear TO iell
the whole truth Or perhaps 10 give
full credence 10 the reports that
reach them. Much of the 50 called
news reaching the London press from
ST. Petersburg is untrustwortnV.
Most of the English newspaper men
in St. Petersburg are revolutionists,
or the friends of the revolution. Even
the British ~bureaucrat becomes "a
red after a few months residence on
the banks of the Neva. One thing
however, is certain-a revolution or
blood cannot now be avoided, except
the poor ill-advised and hunted ear
shall undergo metamOrphis and be-
cone the greatest revOlutlonlst IN
Russia, the greatest revolutIonlst lii
the history of Europe.
Witte. misunderstood, misrepres4nt-
ed, maligned-himself the revolt
tionary of all Russian revolutionists, a
revolutionary who works on peaceful
and constructive lines-Witte watching
the play through the cracks in the
canvass, expects no other tableaux tnal
that which he did more than al
other men to delay-a revolution OF
blood.
1T must come" Witte is reported to
have said the other day. He was sit
ting on the lawn of his hotel at Vichy,
ldCIUS SdSIW dlU, Will SouADC ~:
stern face, and jaws fast locked. 1T
must ONE. Gods curses on the mar
and on the men who have forced the
i~ssue!"
And yet"-and his visitor swept the
hill and valley, vine-clad and verdanf
with suggestive gesture.
Witte turned and followed the dir@c-
ton indicated, then his quick percep-
ton grasping the meaning broke into
a torrent of words. He spoke, it is
said. with an emotion seldom seen in
this peculiar man.
The revolution Of France he.
is quoted as saying. "The revolution
of France, from which has come ali
this good, all this peace, and all this
plenty. The revolution Of France was
as child's play compared with the
coming revolution in Russia, and tn3
end-will be different.
I'm Russia a revolution of blood
must fail of it's purpose, because tho
revOlutiOnists who are now forcing
a senseless people to their doom-are
fools, criminals, Goddess. selfish fools.
It must come, and while there will be
disaffection in army and navy, our
army of nine million men will remain
loyal as a whole. The Little Car"
will crush these vermin into a shape
less mass.
Should they kill him, another viii
take his place, and those so-called
patriots will but have dragged great
Russia back, back to the slough from
which she has struggled to emerge.
Blood will be shed until the Valleys
are full, but at the end of the struggle
autocracy will rise and a free Russia
will be impossible until a reiSrs
again"
So Witte is quoted, and, If correctly,
they are the words of a patriot prophet
who is not without honor except in his
own country.-Studdert Campbell in
Charlotte Observer.