OCR Text |
Show H Russia's Crisis. H A Russian, Mr. Menshikoff, closes a long arti- H cle wit? these words: H . "Why not give the world assurance that we are I : really a constitutional nation, and that the un- I i happy past is actually past? Such assurance, how- B ever, cannot bo conveyed except I carrying out. H realizing fully that which has bon so solemnly M pledged. The dilemma is too clear. We are either Hi . doomed to a political death proceded by a Turkish I agony or we are facing regeneration. But regonor- Hj , ation implies integrity, honesty, ' yearning for a new national life. Has our ruling class those noble no-ble qualities?" That is what the world is waiting to see, whether the great middle class of splendid scholars and clear headed statesmen like tho one quoted above can prevail with the weak emperor against that nobility which has always been for graft and for the oppression of the masses, is the great problem which confronts Russia today, and on the decision of which hangs the immediate future of Russia, whether she shall indeed return to the despotism des-potism which has. always ruled there or whether she has the strength to throw off the wrongs which have prevailed until her army and her navy are demoralized de-moralized and her peasantry are starving? The need of Russia is regeneration.. Whether she has the strength to carry it through is the anxiety of 'the civilized world right now. Tho Russian people have been taught obedience and have been taught to be wronged without murmuring, murmur-ing, but the dullest titled snob in Russia today ought to be able to see that what has been treated as a log is on fire and that If it gets in full blaze their nobility will be consumed. And the world Is watching to see whether the time of regeneration has come or whether through some years of chaos that people will have to struggle until the throne shall melt, until the rights of man shall be finally vindicated through violence. |