Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-22
NO REPUBLIC FOR RUSSIA
Majority of People Would Be Satisfied
With a Constitutional MONARCHY

cltzehS of this count y should take
the reports from Russia and from European
capitals, anent the ripeness of the ravo-
luticnary movement in Russia, with more
than the usual allowances" remarked a
washington gentleman who has lust re-
turned from an extended trip through the
sMcscovite empire, and whose experience
Win public affairs and whose business is
such as to entitle his views to consider
alton, to q Star reporter at the CAPITOL
yesterday.
While 1t was plain TO me that the af-
fairs in general in the cars domains were
in anything but placid state. the diff
ference between the establishment of n re-
public over such a heterogeneous population
as may be found there and the curtaI-
ment of the absolute despotism of the few
over the many Is very, very great The
latter contingency in the not remote fu-
ture is probable, but the former is very
distant from what l could see The people
of this country are prone to rapid con-
clusions as regards freedom of action, hav-
Ing enjoyed their personal liberties and
educational advantages for so many gem
eratlons, but in Russia II is so vastly diff
ferent that comparisons fail. The express
sions in this respect of the few Russian
patriots who have reached our shores and
the reflections of the press reports favorable
to the movement emanate from a very
small proportion of very great popula-
ton.
From my observations the discomfort
In Russia lies mainly with what we would
call the middle class, so strong and power
full in this country, but practically without
standing or influence in Russia. This class
In that country is ground between the arts
tocracy and the mobiles. and the dense,
almost animal-like ignorance of the g~eat
lower class, and It is, TO my mind, their
struggles for recognition and emancipation
from their circumscribed environment which
lead the rapid-thnking American public
to the belief that some fine morning we
will wake up and read about the flag of
the Russian republic floating over the Win
ter Palace.
tOf course my Views are those of a travel
er without prejudice, but / was thrown into
very close contact with the different ele-
nlents while in ST. Petersburg, and although
my personal sympat HES like all Americans,
are naturally with those who are oppressed.
1t is misleading TO foster "A belief that II
needs only "a spark TO enable those IN
Russia favoring a republic to escort the
car the court and the arlstocracy TO the
frontier, bid them a cheerful adieu, ana 10
return to the capital with a full-fiedged
republic built upon such foundatlon Oh
chaos.
"That the people of Russia may become
a self-governing body may some day be real
lied but from what could learn from tnose
with whom / conversed the majority OF
them would be mighty thankful and wen
satisfied with a constitutional monarchical
form nf government which would insure
them the liberties of the peoples of their
continental neghbors. The great major
itv of the people of Russia have little COM
prehepsion of what we uiioeF t In I'm.
stitutional liberty to mean. and this fact
ia wildly impressed upon an American IN
every town he enters and every minute no
is in that country.