All the passengers, first, second, and third class, grand dukes,
intelligentsia, and laborers saw the danger and shouted warning but the
officers neither saw nor heard. In order to save themselves and the vessel
each class of passengers, quite independent of the other, resolved that at
the first opportune moment it would throw the officers overboard and
take charge of the ship; but while they were plotting the crew mutinied,
arrested the officers, and left the ship to drift in sight of the breakers.
Nicholas Romanov is to blame for the plight of his country and for his own
misfortunes. He was warned, he was given his chances, but he abused them
all. When he entered on his reign he was popular and had the good will of
his people with him. For some reason or other it was assumed that he was
liberal minded and that under him the people would breathe a little more
freely than under his autocratic father. This hope was so strong that it
was unconsciously accepted as a fact. Stories were told that the Tsar
fraternized with students and workmen and that he was determined to destroy
the bureaucratic wall which kept the people from him. It was on the
strength of this report that the Zemstvo of Tver petitioned him that in the
future it might have direct access to him and have a say in the government.
Here was a great opportunity but he turned it against himself.
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