| Show armm F russian basl D tf on gross ignorance from Sat saturday evenings news august 11 1906 editor deseret news I 1 have been greatly impressed since returning from a recent european residence by the magnitude of the american newspaper advocacy ot of the cause ot of the russian peasantry an article in the news of the 2nd and dinst leads me to contribute the popular continental views on the subject it is natural enough for the americans so imbued with charity and so grounded in the broadest liberty to be on the qui vive to aid those who are oppressed in ways both financial and moral doubtless farther than we think our influence Is felt consequently it Is a tact fact that from I 1 this very national habitude those of us not thoroughly acquainted with the actual status of the russian hussla masses sympathize unduly with their condition and pity them only to their hurt by this I 1 do not mean that the road humanitarian views on charity toward a less fortunate class are unwarranted but I 1 do mean most em that the vast volume 6 of frenzied russian sym sympathy lathY aroused largely by the press is founded upon gross ignorance of true conditions russia russia true enough is an extreme monarchy almost literally the czar Is the nation the church the execl tive live and the judiciary true at times he has seemed despotic to people remote distance has aroused a feeling against russia in america that would never exist were the borders of that country contiguous to oursa class of well meaning but nevertheless unwise enthusiasts have taken splendid advantage of these factors and have lashed into a fury t the he feelings and sentiments of our distant world european nations closer at land hand do not share with us ln in our benevolence the facts are these the russians are a peculiar people they are as 89 peasants most childish and simple when combar compared ed with other north ern europeans they are as children of adolescence compared with men of r continued on page four frenzied ruis russian in sympathy based on oa gross ignorance continued from first page maturity and not only are they limited in intelligence but by nature they are deficient in those essential qualities that make up sterling character they seem to be jealous of those in their own spi spheres leres who succeed they hey lack the fundamental truthfulness and honesty they cannot be relied upon for stability inasmuch as their promises can never be taken as indications af their deeds they carry about with them the germs of peevishness and supplication that afflicts thern them witha disease as pronounced as that ot of lord bacons bacans crippler cripple with his overbearing allow fc a crapple repulsiveness and could it be otherwise considering the material from which the nation is made a class little above the uncivilized other northern peoples have pushed aside their barriers but the russian is still bonded to superiors the father of the present czar was a strong ruler he understood conditions and lie be knew perfectly well what liberty would do for his children in all the Rus sias he ruled because he could do so wiser than they he insisted on being supreme because he recalled that his people were inferior and power to the ignorant would he be disastrous in fact he was a monarch not so EO despotic as we wish to believe but a guardian ot of a nation i incapable of governing itself the present czar entered his career unprepared he has unwittingly made enough alsta mistakes es to almost imperil his position he really wishes to be liberal aud and grant representation to his people in the same measure as it is dealt out in other kingdoms with about the same result as would ie be the liberal distribution ol 01 or combustibles among children the point I 1 wish to make from my observations Is is that nt at the present time the great mass of russian peasantry is absolutely ue 13 incapable afable or of enjoying and appreciating pre precia clatin ting 9 civil guffra suffrage ge this peasantry has ha other needs more urgent now it must have within itself many a prime quality before full liberty can can flourish universal edu education cation must be spread broadcast some living active form of christianity must uproot the degenerate greek and must tend to supplant dishonesty with uprightness selfishness with sacrifice sac rafice dishonor and meanness meanness with honor and odriese od ed riess fiess I 1 would tat coa t all eager es po users sot of the cauce cause of the russian peasi peasantry might have the intimate association with the true peasantry that I 1 I 1 have had then in the light of true conditions sentiment would not be so overwhelmingly for an arrogant ignorant people but esteem would run very high for a ruler who governs well in in one of the most difficult positions ever allotted to mortal man man br DR EDWARD E RICH brigham city aug 9 |
