River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1877-08-16
TIE CHRISTIANS IN RUSSIA AND
TURKEY.

y
the Christians whose protection Rus
STA prOfesSedly undertakes, are really
better off under Turkish than Russian
rule,-the former being more tolerant
for those not Mohammedans than Rus
STA is toward those not of the Greek
faith. This question will be under
stood through brief explanation of
the system of Government prevailing
in the two countries. The present
Russian system is an outgrowth of the
emancipation of the serfs. The nobili-
ty of Russia, formerly owned the land
and the serfs, and made the laws
which governed 100000 of human
beings. A conflict between them and
the Emperor gave the serfs chance
to be heard, and the result was their
freedom. This was in IS4S. The
edict of emancipation embraced as
fundamental principles:
lst. The serf was granted the same
civil rights as the free rural class.
2nd. They were granted kind of
self government. Each serf was to
have a portion of land which he must
cultivate, and whose products are his
own. Sd. The original owners were
to receive an annual sum for the pay
ment of the land. 4th. Domestic
serfs were to serve their masters two
years and then be free.
Under this arrangement more than
one half the arabic land was taken
from the nobility and practically CIV
en- to the serfs. They were allowed,
too, a government among themselves,
subject of course to the Imperial
Government. Under this system of
self-gOvernment there is an educa-
tlonal system, including primary
schools, high schools, colleges and
universities, in many of which both
sexes enjoy the highest advantages on
equal terms. There is, also, a judi
cial system more enlightened than
that of Germany, and a military sys-
tenn substantially the same as that OF
European monarchies. Thus, as we
| see, Russia is a free, enlightened ma
ton. Now contrast Turkey.
In Turkey there is no land system,
no local self-government, no judicial
system, no education, except for the
wealthy or noble. In Turkey-in-Eu-
rope there are 100000 Mussulmans
to Q,000, 900 non-Mussulmans, the lat
ter subject to the former. There is
absolutely no local self-government OF
any kind in Turkey.
The whole empire is divided into
districts of three classes: the ''Vila-
yet" the highest, the "Sanjak," a
subdivision and the ''Caza," the low
est. Over each of these divisions is a
pssha, hey or an effendi, as govern
or and in his hands are all the func-
lions of administration, civil, religious
and judicial. The petty head OF a
Sanjak is as despotic as the Grand
| ViZer. The non-MusSulman cannot
serve on the police force, which being
exclusively Mohammedan, kick and
and rob the Christian infdel. They
cannot enlist in the army but must pay
an exemption tax. They have no pro-
lection whatever, except under the
shelter of foreign consul. The Mo-
| hammedan is armed. The Christian
| is unarmed. The Mohammedan sits
in a So-called court of justice and re-
fuses to take the evidence of a Chris
tIan against a Mohammedan-an Of
fender. Thus, so far as the system of
government is concerned. it is evil
dent that federation does not belong to
it. 1t is only a system of oppression.
The Russian system is palpably more
tolerant than the Turkish.
The claim is made that Turkey per-
mits missionaries among the Chris
tians and not among the Mohamme-
dams. The fact is, Turkey is perfect
" Indifferent to her christian popula-
ton so far as their religious faith is
concerned. She does not allow the
Mohammedans to be tempered with.
Foreign missionaries are not now al
lowed in Russia. but there is agitation
and progress among her secular ele.
ment which will ere long open that
great empire TO the gospel. The ten.
dency of events in Russia is toward
continual progress. In Turkey all Is
dead and stagnant. 1t is, thus, even
better for Christians that Russia should
triumph in the pending contest.