The New York herald., 1879-07-30

famous forbidden fruits and asked my informant
II he could not favor me with a look at some OF
them.
1--WE don't keep such books exhibition in Rus.
sian households" he said. but come this way and
Iwil give,you some idea of our literature"
Leading the way To AL upper room, he left me for
few moments and returned bringing with him
select collection of nihilistic books and pamphlets
bound in gaudy colored paper and printed in Rus
sian characters.
"You will notice" he said, ''that most of these
writings are in the LATHE Russian dialect used ex-
clusively by the peasants of that region. These
large. green covered volumes are copies Of the
Hro0ada II magazine published at Geneva. the dwol-
ling place OF the famous Vera Sasulitch and her
friends"
1.-The excellence of the language aud the size Of
these books observed. "seem to indicate that they
for the use of the man of education and refine
arguments and logic as notice here, and could
never find time to finish one.'
.Here the small guns-the mitrailleuses which
scatter our doctrines broadcast" Going to the
table he took up siuall. neatly printed pamph
lets. These offer of the objections you hnd
alone: Lot me show you one which is fair example
of them all. This little book which be read at
q sitting you see, is entitled Pro chliborobstir yak
de Ztmia podena. yak by trebu yiyi dershAt
cUpon Farming; or. How Land is Divided and How
it ought to be owned } 1t is tair example of the
doctrines of rural nihilism 1t shows some ability
in literary way, and like other writings Of this
class has large circulation. Most of these books
are conversations between peasants, who discuss
nihilism and public affairs.
read the book through rapidly and surprised
to find that it given to absurd reasoning
and extraordinary propositions than to violent APP
peas for riot and demand tor the Wholesale murder
OF Russian officials.
OUTLINE PAMPHLET
The following is an outline of the book
An ancient rural philosopher introduced under the
innocent looking little book that in the happy years
of his verdant youth the steppe mans land
and that snat the @ pernclons PERM n.o practice OF finding
surface is of quite recent origin. Another
rural wiseacre. Myhayio by name. defines
propretors OF large estates either descendants Of
men who. having served the enemies OF the people.
called princes and ears. had been endowed with
tates for such service, descendants merchants
who, having cheated the people. invested the result
OF their legalzed theft i'll landed property. Although
their descendants-says the philosopher-indulge in
the habit OF spending twenty years OF their youth
III various colleges. they not mentally superior
to the heaven inspired mushlt (peasant). These men,
he goes on to say farm their estates badly. which
is additional reason for their cOniscation
to the people. to be held in common and farmed
cordng to scientific methods by tho unlettered
musatks. Myhaylo presents enchanting picture
OF hromada (commune) organized upon nihils tic
principles, a commune that merely enlarged
family, as it was originally in Slavonic communities
and partly remains to this day in Servia and Monte
negro, two countries held up comparative models
OF social organizations. War; that source Of all DIS
order and unjust distribution of SOIL will not be toll
Grated i'll Myhaylos commune.
WHAT Is PROMISED.
The free commune of unlearned men will abolish
all lords and higher branches OF government MAIN
tanning by its own strength ana authority a true
order among the human family. Each individual
member OF the commune will have to obey the
wishes of the majority with an aiacrity quite equal
obeyed his lord All the nations Of the Savonic
stock contederated into powerful republic
will adopt the communal syesem $50 well adapted to
their genius" says Myhaylo. Here our philosopher
displays some knowledge of the pecuarities OF
other nations. giving 1t as his opinion that such
system may not be practical Switzerland
America. tho Teutonc element of which, has, he ad
mits. either by nature or force OF inherited Gus
tom. desire tor individual holdings. "But
this instinct he says, 'is shared by
only two three slavonic races. none
OF which are of much Importance" A
IN MyhaylO'S ia
well acquainted with the objections which will bo
urged by Western writers against despotic COM
mune endowed with the power of forcing its men,
bers into uncongenial work. but he maintains that
the conhscaon OF all property for the benefit Of
the peasant and the increase OF wealth and comfort
thus gained by that class. VIII fully compensate
them for any loss OF individual liberty which after
all, he says philosophically, "amounts only'to the
liberty of farming badly and suffering starvation.
Tho promise OF a land grant is repeated III every
chapter OF this and all similar publications circu
lated among the rural population. "Do this and the
broad lands shall be yours" is the burden of the
nihilists promise to the peasant. 1t is continually
repeated final answer to all objections and
though this method of winning the people by rous
ing their greed may be criminal every observer of
the Russian peasanIry admits it's effectiveness among
the wretched covetous people OF this great empire.
GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBLE.
| AS laid down tho book l realized that it made
ant mad received his first teachings OF socialism,
My informant claimed that the seed was sown and
merely turning the harvest into his grana-
ries to support the war against the Car. In
ST. Petersburg had been told that 1t
was due to the literature sown broad
cast over the land by the nihilists. From
whatever source he absorbed it, the Russian peasant
il to-day deeply possessed with the spirit of social
ism and is being urged on to desperate political
ton, the result of which, the prime movers
knowledge, they cannot themselves forecast.
DARK DAYS AHEAD.
AS we went down stairs again, the nihlist poured
into my his belief i'll great future for Russia
$50 radical change seek to effect cannot be
accomplished by bloodess revolution" he said.
Rssia must dark days of riot and bloodshed be.
fore the is reached. Gar and peasant arisocrat
and aborer. radically opposed to each other now,
and each Will exhaust has last resource before the
battle is lost and won. Trying tho ordeal will be
the Russian people ready tor the battle, and hav-
ing tailed by every other means to regain their lost
rights they will soon be quietly arming behind
every hedge and wood throughout the land. 1t
spasinodic effort; We are moving slowly and surely.
THE MOVEMENT UNIVERSAL
1.-The movement is widespread. and the official who
believes nihilism is dead is sentry voluntarily Sleep
ing ON his post. Already the country districts
circular OF his Minister OF the Interior has
note of alarm. Nihilism is living, moving, acting
and pregnant with great results for Russia 1t
darkest before dawn. but Russias day will be long
and bright and peaceful
The samovar had ceased its steaming, the night
tar advanced and the little company had broken
up and departed. one by one. drove back alone to
kien. thinking Of my evening among these po-
had discussed. II remember tho persist
OF nihilist missionaries and that thoy work.
ing upon the villagers with direct appeals their
greed, and il we remember the disadvanta yes under
suppressing tho agitation, tho implicit belief my
nihistic friend that the peasants generally would
be melted to open riot and bloodshed at distant
day throughout Russia. does not seem utterly i'm
possible.
CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME