The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1906-02-23
THE CAR in HIS
TIME OF TROUBLE

w. T. Stead in The Review Of Re
views Since General Gordon stood
on guard in the citadel Of Khartum, ]
know of no human situation so charged
with Spathos and tragedy so calculated
to thrill the heart of mankind, as that
The parallel, both political and per-
ssonal, is terribly complete. The lone,
slight figure OF the car, as he stands
alone at Peterhof confronting the ever
rising flood of anarchy. which threatens
to submerge Russia, bears singular
resemblance to the heroic form which
now sleeps somewhere in the far Sou
dan. The resemblance in height, COM
|plexion and color. of the eyes and hair
lis remarkable, but it is still more mark
ed in the supreme and dominating char
acteristic. Since General Gordon gave
me a, copy of Thomas aKempis, as he
bade me his last farewell, / have met
no man who was imbued to the same
extent with the spirit of simple religious
faith as the present emperor 1t is the
sole secret of the marvellous composure
and cheerful calm which is the amaze
mert, the envy, and the inspiration of
all those who are admitted to the con-
fidence of the car Call it fatalism,
mysticism, fanaticism, if you will, it
has at least secured today for Russia,
in the midst of an atmosphere that is
hot with fever, one cool head and one
stout heart unaffected by the delirium
and the terrors Of the revolutionary
storm. The throne may be reeling, but
its occupant is neither sick nor giddy
nor afraid. His only fear: is that he
may fail in understanding what is the
will of God. IF that be quite clear, then
though He slay me yet will ] trust
lin Him." Nothing. is more exact than
the parallel between the two men, who
began to rule, the one in Russia,
the other in Soudan. on very different
lines. Gordon was once governor gem
|eral Of the Egyptian oppressor. Mich
olas III, in his tender youth, was made
to pose as the infexible champion of
ancient autocracy. Now there is moth
ing which he is not willing to do to save
| his people, and to save Russia. He has
voluntarily limited his autocracy, and
he is prepared to go much further in
that direction Indeed, to go as far as
any oneso soon as he is clear as to
| his duty He is a Gordon in his selfish
devotion to what he sees to be right.
But he has no Gordon's magnificent
assurance as to his insight into the
divine counsels which was the inspira-
| tion Of his genius. Neither is hes as
Gordon was, a man of restless energy
and indon1itable will, Hence, his very
Excessive consciousness and natural
rnodesty lead to hesitation, the parent
/ of delay; and that delay, which render
led possible the japanese war, has been
1.-THE chief contributing cause to the ex-
Icessive danger of the present crisis.
| IAlloWances should be made for the Wis
inertia of the bureaucratic machine.
| Even Peter the Great could not speed
lit up beyond certain point, and Mich
Eolas I'll has neither the demonic energy
fnor the ruthless will of his great prede-
cessor u
The pace Of reform in Russia in the
Hast twelve months has been abnornally
re-rapid, neither the emperor nor his
councillors realized the deadly urgency
Iof instant decision and resolute action.
Hence, the aralanche of revolution de-
scending upon the glacier of official
Eroutine finds ii often easier to destroy
and overwhelm than to quicken the
|.speed of the glacial progress.
But although the emperor postponed
It'll after the eleventh hour the conces-
sions which he had personally assured
line. two months before. he was firmly
lresolved to make, it is still possible it
Imay not have been too late. Round
THE emperor, now, definitely embarked
upon the new era Of constitutional lib
| erty, there should rally every man who
That heart to feel, a head to reflect
Ior wife and children whom he cares
Ito save from the horrors Of anarchy.