Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. THURSDAY, 5th OCTOBER, 1910. OLIGARCHICAL GOVERNMENT.

Greymouth Evening Star, 6 October 1910, Page 4

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE.

THURSDAY, sth OCTOBER, 1910. OLIGARCHICAL GOVERNMENT.

Double the Circulation of any other newspaper published in the district.

“Your country is my dream of Paradise,” says Mr. P. M. Koonin, a Russian exile, who came amongst us this week. The tale he has to toll amply verifies the dreadful atrocities and misgovernment of the Czar’s dominions, vivid accounts of which from time totime have been published in these columns. Mr. Koonin’s charges are backed up with bitter personal experience, and to thoroughly appreciate the sovereign value of freedom lie has tasted of the bondage which lias no doubt led to his appellation of this country as a “dream of Paradise.” We are sometimes so engrossed with ou'r own differences and political party warfare that we hardly -hark back to compare the progress made by British civilisation witli that of less fortunate continental peoples; nations where political and social reform is slow, and, n some .instances, would appear to be almost impossible. There is no freer people in the world to-day than the British people—a people emancipated from the shackles of despotism and vassalage, though still imbued with a persistent and relentless spirit for further advancement and the perfecting of ideals which make for higher moral and social conditions. The signing of Magna Charter by King John, granting concessions and privileges to the nobility of England, may be taken as the starting point of the curtailment of the tyrannous ways of monarchy; and. later, in the same way, the common people have obtained some measure of autonomy, but not before the fire and sword of revolution had played its tragic part. The question naturally arises: What of Russia? Will Mr. Koonin’s forsaken country receive a measure of reform without the shedding of much blood and civil war? Is there a Magna Charter to be signed for the emancipation of Russia ? Although classed as one of the leading civilised races in the world to-day, Russia can scarcely be said to be a free country where justice is placed in front of tyranny or where there is an unswerving loyalty to humanitarian ideals. If a Russian citizen expresses a desire for reform in any public place he would, in all probability, be on the road to the Siberian mines within twenty-four hours. Meetings of people disaffected with the Government are declared “illegal.” When such examples as that of our distinguished visitor comes before us —sentenced for an indefinite period without trial —for resolving to forestall the hand of murder, one might even lose hope for the Russians to secure immediate and lasting concessions froih an oligarchical government of so long standing and black a record. Rulers that are the absolute governors cling with tenacity to the powers and privileges that their forefathers enjoyed and to them the cry of the multitude against oppression, for better government, and a hand in that government, is rapacious and vulgar. “I wish’to stir up the British people,” says Mr. Koonin, “and with their aid to overthrow the autocratic system.” Mr. Koonin canhot but fail to excite the sympathy of our self-governing colonies; but how such “sympathy” is to aid in a practical way the bringing about of reform in a foreign misgoverned country is not quite clear. . The British people, as the great civilising white race, have undertaken stupendous tasks in the betterment and uplifting of colored races, notably in South Africa, and India, but for the Imperial Government to actively intervene in Russian affairs is.finite another matter. No patch of soil on this planet affords instances of more brutal tragedies than those enacted in Macedonia under the rule of the deposed Sultan, “Abdul the Damned,” • and this too, under the knowledge of the Powers and an earnest beseechmont for their intervention ; yet without avail.. But here again, history repeats itself, for within the last few months the Young Turkey Party '.secured a revolution in the government of the dwindled Turkish Empire ; its influence with the Array was such as to compel the Sultan to grant his subjects a constitution and convene a Parliament. Under the new regime and with the dethroning of Hie “Great Assassin” the future c.f Turkey will be watched with interest and with whatever result it cannot possibly fail so miserably as the recent despotic rule. If it means the finality of the horrors, and tragedies of Macedonia, if peace and a measure of justice is secured, Macedonia at least will experience a breath of freedom that even the Christian nations of the earth were too pusillanimous to intervene for against a rule which laid to waste an entire people. Just how the political pendulum will swing in future years j for Russia is a problem which would lead us into the sphere of prnphescy, which we desire to avoid. But in conclusion we venture to imagine that until such time as a leader'strong enough arises .amongst them and stimulates the

Russian people to a successful rising and the compulsory evacuation of the seat of government by the Czar and ius confreres, nothing short of a civil war will alleviate the lot of the unhappy down-trodden and tortured subjects in the dominions of the groat white Czar.