The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1877-05-31
Russian Villages.

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It is generally thought that Russia is
vast and absolute despotism, ruled over
by single autocrat will, and that the
Russian people, having no voice in their
own affairs, have nothing to do but to obey
the mandates of the Gar.
While it is true that the Russian En-
pire is an absolute one, and is the only
nation in Europe which does not have
general Parliament to make its laws and
restrict the power of the sovereign, it is
an error to suppose that the people have
no voice in their political, or, at least,
their local affairs.
This is seen by the very peculiar and
interesting organization of the Russian
villages. Russia, indeed, may be called
nation of villages. Itcontains very few
large cities, and throughout that vast
country, comprising nearly onehalf of the
entire continent of Europe, there are only
about one hundred and fifty towns whose
population exceeds ten thousand.
All over that wide extent however, are
clustered the villages which contain the
bulk of the Russian people. Far from
being sparsly settled, as many think,
European Russia contains as many peO-
pie to the square mile as that part of our
own country which lies east of the Mis-
sissippi River. The country is fairly
dotted with busy little communities, and
are quite distinct from the large towns.
How are these villages governed in
their local affairs9 Not by agents and
mayors sent from st. Petersburg to rule
them, but by their own free votes and
action.
The Russian village elects not only its
own executive officers, but its own judges.
1t has its local legislature, elected every
three years, in which mobiles and peasants
sit together as equals. Great landed pro-
prietors and their former serfs are to be
seen side by side in this body, and the
vote OF the serf is as good as that of his
former master.
There is yet more curious fact in rela-
ton to these elf-governing villages of
autocrat Russia. They are one and all
corporations, which hold the entire land
on perpetual lease, and each inhabitant
owns, not plot of land, but all the land,
in common with his neighbors. The land
is parceled out among the villagers not
to own, but to cultivate, and the products
of the fields belong not to the man who
raises them, but to the village which dis
poses of them. Then the village, as a
corporation, maintains and supports all
the inhabitants, pays the taxes to the
general government, and provides for the
poor and helpless.
Another singular fact is, that no inhab-
liant can leave village without its con-
sent, or unless he pays certain sum
and that, when village becomes over
crowded, it sends out colony to some
unoccupied tract, where a new village
speedily grows up.
The tie between the parent village and
its colonies is very strong one, and not
seldom a colony which does not flourish
returns to its old home, and is received
with open arms. About ten years ago
one of these colony villages was entirely
burned down; whereupon the people re-
turned in body to the parent village,
which was two hundred and fifty miles
away.
These villages choose and pay their
own police, establish schools, take meas
ures for the general health, watch the
crops and see to it that each man does his
proper share of work.
Thus their local government is as indie
pendent of the Gear, in most respects, as
that of the New England towns is indie
pendent of the President of the United
States.
The great measure of the emancipation
of the serfs, which, having been gradually
and carefully prepared, finally took place
in 1861, added no less than twenty five
millions of free villagers to the producing
force Of Russia.
One important result of this system of
village government is, that outside of the
cities and towns, which, as We have seen,
are fewer in comparison to the total pop
ulation than in any other civilized coun-
try, scarcely beggar or pauper can be
found in Russia Youths COMPANION.