New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-08

recent Emperor was an intelligent man. anu
when some Of the true patriots OF RUSSIA
could get TO him he was, without question
influenced by them, only to be later over
powered with arguments by those who were
closest TO him and with him all the time Is
II 10 be wondered at. therefore, that he was
apparently vacillating and seemed 70 De OF
the opinion of those who talked TO hlm last :
The one side appealed to his reason and the
other side TO his security on the throne; the
one side appealed to his loyalty to his coun-
try. the other side to his love for his imme-
date family.
Gar Was Asked TO Abdcate
ct is stated. and believe it TO be true.
that prior to February q a committee had
an audience with the Emperor. at which they
clearly set forth the situation and asked hin.
for the good Of the country to abdicate IN
favor of his son, and to appoint as regent
until he became of appropriate age to take
the reins Of government a certain grand duke
who was very well liked.
"Had this been done, this grand ducal
regent would have appointed as his Cabinet
of ministers precisely the men who now form
the executive committee, and would have
given the country a constitution appropriate
ly democratic, and would at the same time
have eliminated any possibility Of the con-
sderaton Of separate peace with Germany.
For the people Of Russia, not only the peas
ants and the workmen but the fast-growing
middle class, the arstocracy and the nobility
all want no separate peace with Germany.
The homecoming of the MANNED and blinded
and sick unto death with consumption has
embittered the people, and they have no wish
to be again under the domination Of people
who have brought upon them the suffering
that this war has entaled.
Had the regency been established there
would have been no necessity for new oaths
Of allegiance. reforms would have been i'm
mediately instituted that would have salts
fed the people, the command of the army
would have been reorganized and coordnated.
and it doubtless would have been a most
gratifying solution; but it is said the En-
peror was obdurate.
"The Duma met and was ordered to dis
band; then perhaps and one must be very
cautious in even saying perhaps certain or
CARNATIONS that wanted to make demonstra-
lions were given rein, with the result that
the Emperor actually abdcated, and abdl-
Gated not only for himself, but for his son,
and, as is the practice in Russia, the reign
ing monarch must name his successor, pro-
vided it is not by direct descent so IT Is SAID
he named his brother Michael.
If Michael Had Regned
Had Michael assembled the throne it is
very probable he would have followed pre-
cisely the plan said to have been laid down
for the regent, and this again might have
been the best solution. But the reactionary
spirit had got under way, and perhaps II
would not have been easy to have curbed II.
However, Michael did the thing that we can
but respect him for doing refused to accept
the crown from his brother, but said he
would accept it if elected by the people. 1t
is now, perhaps too late to think of electing
an Emperor, and it is the belief of those who
understand the situation best that there is
no member Of the royal family who wants
the job, and would therefore head reac-
tionary movement
Russia is going to be a republic; it is go
ing 20 have some little trouble in working
out its constitution, and its constitution will
doubtless be more socialistic than that Of
any existing republic, and in using the ex-
preston 'socialistc one means that there
will be greater resort to government, provin-
cial and municipal ownership than exists
elsewhere.
OlOer husSldn hepuDllCs
zone is often asked will republic be a
success in Russia? The best answer to this
is that in the government of the provinces of
Russia it has actually been a republic for
years Over a century ago the cooperative
societies in the provinces came into existence;
in 1867 the Zemstvo organizations were au-
thorized and there is no more democratic
type of government in the world than that of
the Zemstvo unions that have the legislative
power in the provinces, and it is interesting
to note that the titular head of the All Rus
sian Zemstvo Union, Prince Lvoff, is now the
Premier Of Russia, and that the Zemstvo
Union, with all its ramifcations in every
province of Russia and Siberia, is behind
Prince Lvof and behind the new government,
and is now at work steadying the people and
is an assurance that in due time Russia will
work out her salvation in thoroughly appro-
pirate and lasting way
Captain Hough said he was inspired TO say
what he did because he wanted to do in his
small way what he could to allay the fears
that were being engendered by certain un-
wise public utterances that had recently been
made, and by the differences that might be
drawn from these spasmodic demonstrations
in Petrograd that were carefully guided by
the government, and were really safety valves
to rid the system of certain irrational men OF
their mistaken ideas that could only be an
swered and destroyed after they had been
stated.