Untitled

Oamaru Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 5099, 8 October 1891, Page 2

Relief, we were recently informed by cable, is being extended to all starving people in the famine-stricken districts of Russia, regardless of creed. Yesterday we received a message intimating that the Czar has relinquished his court festivities and is devoting the money so saved to the relief of the distressed peasantry. We do not know whether these messages are intended to provoke our admiration of the Czar of the Russias, or are forwarded simply as an extraordinary revelation of hitherto undreamed of depths of generosity in the Imperial character. In either case they provide a very apt commentary 011 human nature in general and the individuality of Alexander 111. in particular. Moral and physical despotism, in their common phase of selfishness, have become so general in alleged civilised regions that the fulfilment of absolute duty has begun to be looked upon as an action so essentially altruistic as to call for the highest human praise and admiration. Instead of pausing to ask, therefore, why relief should not be extended to all creeds of suffering humanity, and why the Czar should not forego his own pleasure for the sake of his suffering people, in the first flush of admiration people are apt to impart too much credit to a simple performance of duty. We are not going to seek for the Czar's motive for indulging in this sudden " luxury of doing good." Even if his action be purely diplomatic, it is satisfactory to learn that, to secure his own safety, his people are to fare better ; and, if even from this motive, the generosity he is at present displaying will only result in a permanent lightening of the load of misery of Russian serfdom, the paradoxical spectacle of an admirable selfishness will be instituted to somewhat gladden our hearts. It will be of little avail if the present spasm of thoughtfulness be only temporary, consequent upon the explosive scare. The lot of the peasantry would only be made worse if, cured yesterday of their disease, they die next night of their physician.