The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-17
what Is About to Happen in Russia

ia experiencing a hull before a storm, or
whether she is entering on h gradual
evolution OF constitutional self-govern-
ment. As the end Of the harvest season
approaches, when tens Of millions OF
mujiks will be at liberty oshow whether
they have determined TO side with the
revolution or with the Government, the
progress of events will naturally be
watched with keener interest. All WI
can say for the moment il that the signs
Of the hour are contradictory, some au-
spicious and some unfavorable as regards
the success of Premier S%ToLNPIN's pro-
gramme OF strong armed reform"
That the earnest effort to revive or
confirm the loyalty Of the many regi-
ments stationed in or neal st. Peters,
burg is believed 10 rave been successful
may be presumed from the fact that on
September - Emperor NICHOLAS with
the Empress ALEXANDRA and their chill
dren left Peterhof for a pleasure cruise
Of some days in the Finnish archipelago.
1t is probable that if there had been any
alarming symptoms Of renewed disaffec-
ton in the Imperial Guard the Gar
would either have stayed at home or
gone further, perhaps to Denmark.
That INSCRIPTIONS means have been
taken to rivet the fidelity of the army,
! and especially Of influential Generals,
may be inferred from the suspension Of
the Perelom ian organ of the Moderate
Liberals, whom the Premier desires to
! conciliate) for charging General Rem
NENKAMPF with thievery and defying
him to sue the paper for libel. The
Government might find it difficult to
explain why the official investigation Of
the report formerly current that REM
NENKAMPF had filed his pockets from
the military funds during the Russo
Japanese war was never resumed after its
interruption by the battle of Mukden.
That in his precarious situation Pre-
| mier SToLYPIN, with the best intentions
in the world, finds ii hard to prevent mil
itary Irregularities and excuses is also
deducible from the evidence that the
local administrative and military author
| tiles were responsible for the frightful
massacre Of citizens which took place
last week in the Polish city OF Siedlce.
According { o a private telegram from
Warsaw to the London Times, the de-
vastation Of the town by cannon and rife
fire lasted fifty hours, hundreds ofhouses
and shops were burned or pillaged, and
hundreds of civilians were killed, while
a much larger number were wounded.
II we may credit a despatch from st.
Petersburg, unofficial versions OF the
butchery in Siedlce agree that the Act
ing Military Governor on three consecu-
tive DAYS ordered the troops to fire, on
the pretext that the Jews had failed to
surrender the authors Of the outrages
which are alleged to have precipitated
the slaughter. This although a rabbi
and a delegation from the t~ownspeople
! solemnly assured the Governor hat they
did not know the culprits, and had reason
to think that the shooting at patrols,
which was so %ruthlessly avenged, had
been the work Of officers servants.
From official sources at Warsaw comes
corroborative proof of the accusation
that the anti-Jewish outbreak at Siedlce,
like that at Kishineff, was prearranged
by a monarchistic league. 1t has, for
instance, been ascertained that when
last weeks massacre was being planned
and officers Of the 0strolensky Regiment
declared their intention of maintaining
order and firing upon rioters, the regi-
ment was removed from the town and
its place taken by the Libau Regiment,
which had disgraced itself by it's conduct
toward the Jews at Bialystok.
For the moment, of course, Premier
SToLYPIN is between the devil and the
deep sea, and nothing but the indisput-
able triumph of his project of constitu-
tional reform will enable him TO compel
the reactionary element in the army to
obey the law. II is admitted, we are
told, bv Constitutional Democrats that
his prospect Of controlling a majority Of
the next Duma is much brighter than il
was, owing to the energy with which his
aprarian programme is 70 be carried out,
provided. Of course, the money needed
for the purpose is obtainable. So large
is the amount OF Crown and appanage
demesnes set apart for immediate allot-
ment, and so considerable is the famine
relief fund promised for the speediest
possible distribution, that a widespread
revival Of trust on the part OF the peas
antry in the Government seems not I'M
likely to be brought about. The Pre-
mier's aim is that when the elections for
the new Duma shall. take place he may
be able to set actual and impressive per-
formances against the nebulous and I'M
fulfilled programme of the Constitutional
Democrats. That they are still regarded,
however, as formidable opponents may
be inferred from his refusal to authorize
their intended meeting. which, conse-
auently, is expected to be held in Fin
land. 1t is significant that no such Off
cial obstruction is offered to the propa-
ganda Of the Moderate Liberals, or oil
the so-called Group Of Toll, which makes
no secret Of it's extreme agrarian anc
socialistic demands. Apparently the Pre-
mier wishes 10 make Of the Moderate