The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1917-03-23

The shortest and most successful
revolution ever accomplished against
autocratic government and power oc-
Cured last week, when the Duma, the
semi-representative body of Russia,
the army and people openly revolted
against the hereditary autocratic
head of the nation and his govern
ment. 1t lasted but couple of days,
there was but little fighting, for the
army was with the revolutionists; the
Gear, who had proved himself inca
pable and inefficient, abdicated the
throne for himself and his heir APP
parent, the young Duke Alexis, and
a provisional government was estab-
lished all within a week. The army
in the field, at Petrograd, the nation
al capital, and other points through
out Russia, and the navy are SUBJ
missive and apparently glad of the
change, and the people are enthusi-
astically supporting it.
The Duma Committee, or Cabinet
heads, is to conduct the affairs of
government until those elected by a
constitutional assembly shall succeed
them. None of these cabinet heads
are from the aristocracy, but are of
the people. The Constitutional As
sembly is to be selected by popular
vote of the people and it is to be
composed of approximately 600 men,
bert. This assembly will decide up
on the character of government to
take the place of the overthrown au-
tocracy and to adopt a constitution.
Whether it will follow Frances ex-
ample and establish a republic, or
follow after England, with consti-
tutional monarchy and a representa-
tive body like the English House of
Commons, is speculative.
The melting or precipitating cause
Of the revolution appears to have been
the inefficiency or lack of earnestness
in handling the war situation against
Germany and Austro-Hungary, in
which Russia is engaged with other
nations of the Entente Allies. The
poor management of supplying the
fighting army with munitions and
food and in distribution of food
among the people, resulting in higher
prices and the discomfort of the peo-
pie, gave the movement impetus. Then
the sentiment Of the people was in ia
vor of pushing the war, and that il
was not pushed as they believed il
should be, gave rise to the conviction
that the Car was influenced by 8
pro- German feeling said to exist
among the men and advisers he hac
drawn about him from the aristoc'
racy.
But evidently the movement hac
been going on quietly for long time
and only awaited the perfecting o.
plans and an opportune time to strike
| When the Duma started the revolt il
| must have known that the army anC
the people were ripe and ready for &C
ton, or its precedence was of the keen
est sort, for under no other condition
would such a successful coup d'eta
have resulted.
Will Prosecute War.
The new provisional government i
imbued with a strong "push the war
sentiment, as evidenced by the fol
lowing extract from the message sen
by it's Foreign Minister, Milukoff, t.
the Russian diplomats abroad:
"This Government, which assume
power at the moment of the creates
external and internal crisis which
! Russia has ever known, is fully con
scious of the immense responsibility,
it incurs. 1t will apply itself, frs
to repairing the overwhelming error
bequeathed to it by the party, to in
insuring order and tranquility in tn
country and. finally, to preparing tn
conditions necessary in order that tn
sovereign will of the nation may b
really pronounced as to its future lo
an the domain of foreign policy tn
Cabinet, in which | am charged wit
the portfolio of the Ministry of Fol
eign Affairs, will remain mindful c
the international engagements enter
ed into by the fallen regime and wi
honor Russia's word. We shall care
fully cultivate relations which unit
us to other friendly and Allied nation
and we are confident that these n
lations will become even more int
mate, more solid, under the new RI
gime established in Russia, which
resolved to be guided by the dem'
cratic principles of respect due to tn
small and great nations, to the libel
ty Of their development and to GOO
understanding among nations.
"But the Government cannot forgt
for g single instnat the grave extei